Fort Smith airport gambles with $35,000

story by Marla Cantrell
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The Fort Smith Airport Commission is willing to take a $35,000 gamble to seek a $500,000 paving grant from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics.

The $35,000 is the cost to have Morrison Shipley Engineers complete a final design, provide initial engineering services and oversee the bidding process.

If the airport gets the 90/10 grant, Morrison Shipley should receive another $32,000 to see the project to fruition. The grant would fund the redesign and construction of the taxiway on the west end of the runway. The deadline for grant applications is early June.

Commission Chairman Scott Archer said the money needed upfront is a good investment, since improving the area, which is used by corporate clients, could entice more companies to use the airport.

Parker said the airport had tried to secure funding to revamp the taxiway twice in the past. However, on both those occasions the restructure of the taxiway had been only one component of bigger proposals and funding never came through.

The commission also voted to allow Golden Living to sublet its hangar, since it no longer keeps a plane at the airport. The company’s space will be used by the John Smith Auto Group. The type of plane the auto group will house in the facility has yet to be identified.

There is also a new local manager for American Eagle. The former manager was relocated and Tracy Moody, who served as one of the company’s Fort Smith agents for a number of years, has assumed those responsibilities.

The next commission meeting will be held on May 25.