Commissioners made progress at the Sept. 21 meeting of the Carroll County Airport Commission on what happens next for the 60×60-ft. hangar at the south end of the property. Grants funds awarded earlier in the year will be used to update insulation, lighting and electrical service.
Airport Manager Michael Pfeifer announced he had found a company to build the kind of door they want to cover the approximately 51×16-ft. doorway, but it will take 14-20 weeks to construct it. Some alterations in the frame will be necessary for installation, but commissioner Dave Teigen was told “four guys and a bag of tools and common sense” could install the door.
Commissioners voted unanimously to order the door.
Pfeifer reported a prospective tenant for the hangar had submitted a proposal which offered less per month than commissioners were looking for and asked CCA to paint and patch cracks in the floor. Commissioners agreed the terms were unacceptable, and after tossing around options commissioners approved making a counteroffer of a two-year lease at $500 per month and the lessee would make the improvements to the floor.
Pfeifer will continue the negotiations.
Engineer’s report
Engineer and consultant Dan Clinton announced the new lights for both ends of the runway have been ordered and are scheduled to arrive during the last week of October. Work to install them will begin during the week of Nov. 5 and should be completed by mid-month followed by a Federal Aviation Administration “flight check.” This work is being funded by an FAA 90-10 grant totaling $160,000.
Clinton said the upgrade to LED lighting would save CCA money on its utility bills.
He also said he received one response to his request for qualifications for someone to prepare their Master Plan, and commissioners voted to accept the proposal. Clinton said CCA would need to create a technical advisory committee at some point as groundwork for the Master Plan commences.
Manager’s report
Pfeifer said monthly fly-ins continue to attract a crowd. In August, 15 aircraft and about 75 people came for a meal and camaraderie, and on Sept. 15, 12 planes and about 70 folks attended. Pilot Dale Mitchell provided a few rides in a Lake Amphibian plane and gave his passengers their first ever landing on water. CCA netted almost $600 from the two events.
Pfeifer said representatives of the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics and the FAA visited the airport to discuss elements of the next Master Plan including expansion and extending the runway.
Auditors who recently visited CCA pointed out a possible “reportable finding” because of the way Pfeifer pays his income tax. He gave commissioners a link to a website which will assist them in determining what to do going forward. Pfeifer said the issue is he has been paying his estimated annual income on his wife’s return. Accountant Dianna Ray explained to commissioners the reason for the confusion.
Other items
- Commissioners voted to re-seat Jason Tennant to the commission.
- They also voted to hire accountants Dianna Ray and Amanda Rushing to handle CCA bookkeeping.
- Interested citizen at the meeting reported candidate for county judge Charlie Reece said at the recent candidates forum he would promote CCA as part of his economic development plan for the county.
- Pfeifer said one of the eight-bay hangars has a hard-to-find leaky spot in the roof, and he’ll check to see if it’s under warranty.
- Commissioner Morris Pate pointed out the sheet metal hangars are getting rusty and should be painted “so it looks like someone lives here.” Pfeifer will get some bids and report back.
Next meeting will be Friday, Oct. 19, at 12 p.m.