Word on a land acquisition grant application by the Warsaw Municipal Airport with the Federal Aviation Association will be received in two to three weeks. The request is for a $534,600 grant from the FAA.

The update was provided by Ken Ross, NGC Corporation, airport engineer, during the monthly meeting of the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners Tuesday.

The grant is being requested for the purchase of 81.93 acres owned by Ceres Farms LLC. east of CR 100E and adjacent to property owned by the airport. The property appraised value is $540,000. The purchase is for a runway protection zone. The total cost to acquire the land is $604,000 and includes an administrative settlement, and professional services. Should the grant be approved the state and local match will be $30,200 each.

Requests tabled in March from the Warsaw Flying Club were brought back to the table and received action by the board.

The request for the club to use the base tenant fuel price instead of the transient fuel price, a 20 cent difference, was approved. However, several board members voiced their reluctance to change the rate for the club.

Nick King, airport manager, recommended the change, but that the club not be put on the account status. All board members were in agreement that the first time the club “returns to the prior pattern,” the club reverts back to the transient fuel fee and “don’t bring the request back again.”

A second request, by the club, to place signage on the club’s hanger was denied, due to the size requested. The club’s hanger is located north of the terminal. Jay Rigdon, aviation board president, questioned if there were limitations to the size and Ernie Wiggins noted it was not the club’s hanger and the signs were too large. Gene Zale added there were no other hangers on the property with this type of recognition.

King noted the city’s sign ordinance did not apply to the airport property and was asked to take measurements of any signs on other hangers, get the average size as well as the size of the hanger.

Mayor Joe Thallemer suggested the board set guidelines for signage on the hangers.

During other business the board:

• Approved moving the construction of a 50-foot by 80-foot hanger being built by Dan Harstine by 17-feet to allow a 27-foot easement between his hanger and that owned by Brad Jackson. Harstine wants to use propane instead of natural gas for heating.
• Approved a land lease for Bill Dean and Steve Deanda to build a 44-foot by 80-foot hanger next to Harstine’s.
• Approved a land lease extension for 10 years for Alva Knouff, one of the airport’s longest tenants.
• Notified that a draft of the environmental assessment for the power line relocation is being reviewed by the FAA’s Environmental Specialist.

During reports it was noted the guidance sign installation will be finished around April 27. A second payment request was also noted by Michiana Construction for $44,272.12. The first request was for $10,209. Ross stated the FAA will be paying for $49,106 with the state’s portion at $2,728.11 and the airport’s portion at $2,728.01.

The next meeting will be at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.