Hartselle Council agrees to seek $245K FAA funds

Nov. 9, 2010

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Nov. 09--HARTSELLE -- City leaders here are hoping their success in securing funding for the Hartselle-Morgan County Regional Airport continues.

Without hesitation at its Monday work session, the City Council agreed to seek $245,231 in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.

"The FAA is aware of our needs at the airport," said Jeff Johnson of the Department of Development. "This is a pre-application, and we may not get everything on the list."

If Hartselle gets complete funding, the city's required match will be $6,130.78.

At the top of the new grant application is an area at the south end of the runway where Johnson said the terrain is "rough."

He said the Airport Board wants to grade the area and fill a hole. The area covers about an acre and includes wetlands.

"We will have to get permission from the Corps of Engineers," Johnson said.

This project is estimated to cost 198,031.

Other items

Second on the list is a metal replacement pole for the rotating beacon light. The existing wooden pole is about 45 years old.

"It has lived its life," Johnson said. He said this should cost about $32,200.

The third item is updating the airport's layout plan, which the FAA requires be done every five years.

Any grant money Hartselle receives from the FAA's Airport Improvement Program requires a 2.5 percent city match and 2.5 percent state match.

In the past decade, Hartselle has received almost $1 million in airport funding.

In 2006, Hartselle got money to purchase about eight acres in the glide path.

A year later, the FAA provided money to replace the airport's aging runway lighting.

In 2008, the city used a $145,000 grant to fence the east side of the runway, office building and hangar area.

A $48,693 FAA grant last year allowed Hartselle to fence about 75 percent of the airport.

Hartselle placed fencing at the top of the list after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attach and because of the growing problem of deer and other animals on the runway.