Airport reports finances, progress on new systems

story by Aric Mitchell
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The Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission met Tuesday night to review updated budget numbers and report the status on a few projects in development.

Receiving unanimous commission approval was the resolution and agreement with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

The MPO is an organization integral to transportation planning programs in cities of 50,000 or more residents. With the commission adopting the resolution, the airport joins 17 other representatives in the Arkansas and Oklahoma areas, and stand to benefit from projects such as the in-development I-49.

Airport Director John Parker noted that federal and state funding received as a result of MPO membership would operate independently of FAA funding for projects that fall within Fort Smith Regional Airport’s airfield. Projects outside the grasp of the airfield but still beneficial to the airport’s interests would be eligible to receive additional monies due to its part in the group.

In addition to the airport, members will include the City of Fort Smith, Sebastian County Quorum Court, and other governmental agencies and subdivisions in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

With nearly the full budget year complete, operating revenues are 94.4% of the budgeted amount. At this same point last year, they were at 82.8%. Overall revenues make up approximately 80.9% of the budget against 59.9% from last year.

For November, financial data showed revenues across all departments at $646,537. The windfall was partly due to receipt of grant monies for previously completed airport projects such as the west corporate taxiway. Parker said once the airport’s final check clears, it will be reimbursed an additional $250,000 by the government for this project, and that it could happen as early as next month.

In the expenses column, operating expenditures are at 80.3% against 74.3% from 2009. Overall expenses are at 69.1%, more than 7% below the 76.6% figure from last year. With few exceptions overall expenses are below the budgeted amount.

Parker also said about 75% of the airfield electrical project is finished. He did say that runway 1-19 will be out of commission for “2 to 3 nights” in the near future as workers complete installation of new electric lines and components.

Other reports of note included the addition of a new server in the ongoing project to update the airport’s technology. The project started coming together in September as $20,000 was allocated to the previous $24,000 for the upgrade of the airport’s computer security systems.

The goal is to improve the system’s security and server functions now, so future costs may be maintained incrementally, negating the need for a larger and potentially more expensive overhaul a few years down the road, Commissioner Carter noted at the October meeting.

The next meeting of the Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission will take place at 5:30 p.m., Jan. 25.