By Nicky Boyette – The Carroll County Airport Commission began 2016 with a change in leadership when Morris Pate announced he would step down as chair. Commissioners voted in Chase Tresler to replace him.
Consulting engineer Dan Clinton passed around a list of projects at CCA paid for by grants in the past 35 years, and recent projects included perimeter fencing, rehab of the fuel dispenser area apron and taxiway lighting system repair. Clinton suggested as future projects for grant requests, the commission consider purchasing more property to make way for more hangars, rehabbing the runway and expanding the south apron.
In January, Manager Michael Pfeifer announced the most recent once-a-month fly-in breakfast event attracted about 50 guests. He said 15 planes flew in.
In February, Tresler discussed the arrangement CCA has with the Carroll County Special Operation Rescue Team. SORT uses on the building on the south end of the property for storage and meetings, but there had never been a signed lease agreement, required by the Federal Aviation Administration There were also the question of who pays the utility bills, but by the end of the March meeting, all issues were sorted out to the commissioners’ satisfaction.
Pfeifer got an electrician to repair the runway end identifier lights, so they were functioning for the first time in 25 years.
Clinton arranged for the taxiway rehab to occur during June, a traditionally slow month for CCA. The project called for milling off 2.5 inches of surface and putting three inches back. A crown down the middle of the runway was created so runoff drained toward the sides. French drains were installed along each side to collect the runoff and direct it away from the taxiway.
At the June meeting, Pfeifer announced he had a waiting list for hangars, so the commission should plan for building new ones. Clinton suggested he could pursue a state 90-10 grant for extending the south taxiway apron behind the new hangars on the south end of the property and in front of an existing 60×60 hangar. Clinton projected this addition could serve an eight-bay hangar to be constructed in the future. Commission voted for Clinton to pursue the grant.
Also at that meeting, Pate said a businessman from Florida who flies in for business in Berryville said he wanted to duplicate the design of CCA for his airport in Florida.
In July, Clinton presented a preliminary plan for what could happen in the south part of the property once the new apron extension was in place. The plan included where new hangars and tie-downs would be. He promised to send in the grant request in September.
Negotiations began in the summer for leasing the 60×60 hangar in the south part of the property, but they stalled during autumn and remained uncompleted by year’s end. However, another businessman expressed interest in building another 60×60 hangar in that area.
On October, Pfeifer mentioned flight instruction has 13 students in three different classes.
There was good and bad news at the November meeting. Commissioner Sandy Martin announced the Quorum Court had to cut all county departments, and the CCA budget was cut from $60,000 in 2016 to $40,000 in 2017.
The good news was the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics approved the grant proposal to extend the south taxiway behind the newest hangars. The commission was responsible for ten percent, or $12,657, which commissioners had already earmarked in the budget. Clinton suggested they get the dirt work done during December and finish the asphalt work in the spring. Initial attempts to start moving dirt around were delayed by rain and winter weather.
Also, Pfeifer announced the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department agreed to install two signs on US 62 indicating directions to CCA, and he installed a regulation horseshoe pit and a fire pit near the terminal at his own expense.