Dubois County Airport Authority meeting: Expansion completion pushed to 2018

A proposed tunnel spanning 200W, necessary to complete the 500-foot Huntingburg Airport runway extension, may push the project completion date further down the road.

Projected to cost about $3.3 million, the tunnel, exceeds the Indiana Department of Transportation’s $2 million annual grant threshold. According to Woolpert Engineering’s Luke Reynolds, INDOT can make grants at the end of the year and the tunnel project could be funded in 2016 for the full amount.

These additional funds come available when other projects fall through or can’t be completed and the money reverts to INDOT’s annual funding budget. The airport authority could apply for these funds and get the rest of the money necessary to complete the project in one year.

But, since that is not a guarantee, Reynolds told the board the project could be funded over a two-year period to bring the annual cost below $2 million. This could push completion another year down the road to 2018.
The 500-foot extension will increase the types and sizes of aircraft that can land there, further expanding the regional airport’s viability.

On another note, the airport’s fuel sales (approximately $123,000) are about $7,000 from reaching 125 percent of the airport’s initial capital investment of $60,000. Once fuel sales reach 125 percent of the total investment, money brought in above that amount can revert to the airport’s budget.

The Dubois County Airport Authority also took the following actions:

–Elected officers as it was the first meeting of 2015. All officers elected in 2014 will retain their same seats. Brian Craig is president; Mike Cummings is vice-president; and Harvey Berger is treasurer.

–Heard that fuel sales are low right now but this is a seasonal, industry-wide occurrence.

–Approved adding $6,308 to the t-hangar project to increase the thickness of the ceiling insulation from 2 inches to 4 inches. According to Brett Stenftenagel of Jasper Lumber, the added insulation will greatly increase the efficiency of the hangar.

–Heard that the steel for the t-hangar will be delivered January 31 and construction will be completed, depending on the weather, in about five weeks. Since asphalt plants won’t start producing asphalt until April at the earliest, the completion of the project likely won’t be until late April or early May.

–Heard that an intern from Northeast Dubois High School, Jarah Gordon, started the week prior. Addison Weyer from Forest Park is still an intern at the airport and is working on his pilot’s license.

–Heard that a water heater in Hangar 5 had been destroyed by the cold temperatures. According to airport manager Travis McQueen, the cleanup is extensive and he is investigating a smaller, more efficient unit as a replacement.

–Approved retaining Phil Schneider as counsel for the airport authority at the cost of $6,300. Items Schneider works on outside the retainer will be billed hourly.

–Approved paying Woolpert Engineering $21,002.90 for their contractual services. The Federal Aviation Administration will reimburse the airport authority for 90 percent of this cost, or $18,903. INDOT will reimburse the airport $1,050.15 leaving the airport authority responsible for the remaining $1,049.75.

–Approved several contracts with Woolpert Engineering to complete the appraisals, FAA required environmental study, and paperwork for the purchase of about 42 acres needed for the expansion of the runway. Woolpert will also work on property easements to the northeast of the expansion area that will allow the airport to remove any trees or potential obstructions as it becomes necessary.