Fort Smith airport plans night drill

story by Marla Cantrell
[email protected]

At Tuesday’s (July 27) board meeting, members of the Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission laid out plans for a full-scale emergency drill on August 19.

John Parker, airport director, said the exercise will be conducted at night, which is a first since he’s been in charge.  He believes there may be lessons to be learned from the added element of darkness.

“We have to roll fire trucks, have ambulances, have people who need assistance,” Parker said. “This kind of full-scale drill is required every three years. This year, the county has a requirement to do an emergency drill at about the same time we do. On top of that, the fire department downtown received a new bomb truck and it has a requirement to do an exercise. So we’re teaming up and we’ll have a combined effort.”

Commissioners also voted to accept a revised Letter of Intent from Jimmy Bell, president of Jimmy Bell Real Estate in Van Buren, who is working as the agent for a client, still unnamed, wanting to build a financial institution at the intersection of McKennon Boulevard and Phoenix Avenue. The original request was submitted in May.

The revised document increases the size of the tract from 3.21 acres to 4.13 acres. Bell has already given the airport $10,000 in earnest money for the ground lease. Annual rent will be set at 30-cents per square foot plus a monthly rental of $4,500. There is also a 7.5% adjustment every five years.

Bell has 180 days from the original May 18 agreement to move forward on the project, with the possibility of a 60-day extension.

Another five-year contract with Airport Advertising Inc., out of St. Louis, was approved.  Parker said his staff evaluated three firms and chose the stay with the current vendor because of its proven record. Airport Advertising agreed to return 70% of its earnings to the airport, which are estimated at $52,500 during the first year of the new contract.

The company also plans to install LED advertising panels above the baggage claim area to increase revenue.

As of the end of June, the airport is showing a slightly bigger profit than at the same time last year. Total revenues are $1,342,164, up from $1,325,741 at the end of June, 2009.

“It’s a good trend,” Parker said.

The next commission meeting is set for August 24, at 5:30 p.m.