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The Warsaw City Council has approved additional appropriation for the Warsaw Municipal Airport, totaling $78,000.
The funds, taken from the Airport Depreciation Fund ($38,000) and the Aviation Fund ($40,000), will be used as the local match to a 50-50 grant received from the state for a 500-foot extension of the airport's runway, according to Mayor Ernie Wiggins.
"Our share (of the grant) is $140,000, and we didn't appropriate that much for the project in this year's budget," he said.
The runway extension would not have been possible without the grant and will benefit both the airport users and the city coffers once completed, Wiggins added.
"It was up to getting the grant of not doing the project," Wiggins said. "It will allow some of the larger corporate airport users to have more fuel on board during takeoff," he said. "Plus, if the planes can put more fuel in before take- off, it's more revenue (through fuel sales) to the city."
The additional fuel load gives the corporate aircraft that frequent the airport more range, thereby making the use of the airport more convenient.
"The corporations here have helped us finance the improvements to the airport, and for that we are grateful," Wiggins said.
In other business, the council approved $1.5 million in bonding authority for the city in the Logan Street road project.
"This (the $1.5 million) is for a worst-case scenario on the project - part of the bond will be used if we have to install a new sewer system," Wiggins said. "If it turns out that we don't need to construct the sewer, then we will reduce it, because the project won't take all the $1.5 million."
The project will extend Logan Street to connect with Rozella Road, with the intention of reducing congestion on Ind. 15. If the sewer portion of the project is finalized, it will allow extension of sewer service to the Shady Crest area, which is most in need of sewer service, and other areas southwest of the city.
