Sep. 9--Terre Haute Regional Airport's proposed 2021 budget reflects a 7 percent reduction, said Richard Baker, treasurer of the airport's board of directors. 

The proposed budget, Baker told the board Wednesday, is $2,830,446 for its "operational budget, which when you take out about $200,000 from our Rainy Day fund, that is about a 7 percent decrease from this year, so we are stepping down for what we are asking for an operational budget" in 2021.

The reduction reflects a decrease in employees. The airport will have 13 employees in 2021, down from 15 1/2 employees. Additionally, the budget does not contain high cost items, such as roof repairs or replacing large parking lot lights.

In a report on the airport's tax increment finance (TIF) district, the airport expects to receive $84,067 from the district this year, as revenues are down due to a tax appeal paid to Michigan-based Mejier, which filed an appeal of its initial 2015 assessment, winning a tax appeal through 2018.

The airport's TIF earlier this year paid $536,006 to Meijer, with an additional $296,000 paid in June from the TIF district, which includes reimbursement for funds paid by the county.

In 2021, the TIF district is expected to generate $438,837 and $443,737 in 2022. The increased TIF revenues are a result of new retail stores near the airport such as Aldi, Starbucks, an AT&T store, a physical therapy business and Culver's, a restaurant. Other business that will be added for revenues in 2022 include a Belle Tire store.

Rachel Leslie, board president, said board member Rick Burger will chair the airport's Gateway Airport Gateway Strategic Plan, a committee working with airport consultant Monica Newhouse-Rodriguez of Newhouse and Associates.

"From our perspective, we really want to start focusing on two main things," Leslie told the board. "One being the overlay of what we know is going to happen on Indiana 46, trying to get any developers or property owners to give us as much information as they feel comfortable giving us, so we can create an overlay that allows us to go back to Indiana-American Water Co. and look at usage plans and flow categories," she said.

Airport officials in May 2019 passed a resolution acknowledging they have five years to resolve water flow and pressure issues to satisfy fire protection standards. It's a project that will impact future development at the airport, possibly even adding water tall tanks, either at ground level or elevated, to boost water pressure as well.

The airport has Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) on site, and the Terre Haute Fire Department serves as a back up, but improved water pressure and extended water lines are needed. Yet extending water at the airport could be a $1.5 million project and will require hydraulic modeling from Indiana-American Water Co.

Second, Leslie said a new casino, near Interstate 70/Indiana 46, is projected to attract a million new visitors to the community.

"We really need to look at a beautification plan" for Indiana 46/U.S. 40, Leslie said. The airport can incorporate a community plan developed through the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce through phases, she said. "The airport, specifically, we see our opportunity being developing what we want way-finding and signage to look like," especially near the airport.

Burger said Newhouse & Associates will review past studies to try to come up with a community plan for beautification. "We want to bring everyone together on the same page," Burger said.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.

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