The Carroll County Airport Commission has been working to develop an area of the airport recently acquired, and construction in that area will temporarily displace some hangar tenants. The plan had been in the works for several years, but with construction looming, the commission heard a complaint about the displacement. At the Oct. 18 meeting.
Larkin Floyd, owner of Tri-State Airmotive, had ceded part of his leased property back to the commission. A paint hangar on that property will be removed, and it currently houses several planes. One of the tenants said initial plans had called for performing extensive fill work before removing the hangar. Commissioners explained that the contractor had recommended razing the building and using the concrete for fill., as that would save the cost of removing the concrete, as well as the cost of bringing in additional fill dirt.
The tenant also asked about building a group hangar instead of more expensive tee hangars. Airport Manager Mark Pepple said the airport would have liability exposure for moving planes around inside a group hangar.
Commission Chair Dave Teigen said, “We will be fair and equitable to every pilot on this field.” The new hangar is expected to be completed by the middle of 2026.
In other business:
- Pepple discussed efforts to repair the fuel pump. He also reported on a project to clean and wax the floors in the terminal.
- Pepple said he had received an initial inquiry for someone interested in a land lease for a new hangar, perhaps as large as 80×80 feet.
- Consulting Engineer Joey Wallace outlined the use of upcoming grant funds. The airport should add a six-bay hangar next year, and a future grant will help add new property to the airport. Wallace sketched out tentative plans for the next five years.
- Commissioners considered two applications for snow removal contractors. The snow removal will include the runway, the fueling area, and a turnaround, but will not include the taxiway. The contractors were told they could not use salt or other corrosive materials. They would only scrape the middle of the runway, to avoid damage to runway lights.
- The commissioners voted to scrap a courtesy car with a blown engine. They considered replacing the engine, but decided to move on to another vehicle. “This has been a tough lesson,” Teigen said, as he recommended spending more for a courtesy car to obtain something which will last longer. Justice of the Peace John Howerton, who represents the quorum court at commission meetings, said County Judge David Writer has reservations about the county providing insurance for courtesy cars. The county owns the vehicles, however, and only the owner can provide insurance. Commissioners said they could restrict the use of courtesy cars to those who can provide their own insurance.
- A bid for a generator came in significantly higher than expected. Commissioners had discussed spending $30,000 for a generator to supply the terminal, runway lights, and the fueling station. The bid came in at $46,000, but the unit was much bigger than the airport would need. The commission will investigate other suppliers with a smaller unit.
* The area is served by several weather stations in the area, but pilots often experience different weather conditions here. Commissioners had considered a full Automated Weather Observing System, but annual operating costs would be prohibitive. A simpler system could provide important information to local pilots at a lower cost. Grants would not cover the equipment, so the airport would have to find the funds or seek donations from pilots.