Airport Board Gathers Funding Information

A TxDot meeting held on Thursday, July 24, in Tyler, has opened the door for grant funding to the Wills Point Municipal Airport.

Airport Advisory Board members Len Olsen, Weldon Massey and Paul Addison attended the meeting, along with Mayor Scott McGriff, EDC secretary Lettie Clark and city manager Jim Stephens.

The contingent learned details of the Routine Airport Maintenance Program (RAMP), which provides matching funds for repairs made to the airport. The program adds up to $50,000 per year for repairs and upgrades.

Immediate needs for the airport include updates and repairs to the lighting system, according to Airport Advisory Board president Paul Addison.

"We have already begun some beautification improvements," Addison said. "In addition to planting 58 acres of grass, we will be making improvements to the entry way including a new sign."

The board was also asked by TxDot officials to order a feasibility study as a first step to apply for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). CIP provides for 90 percent funding for improvements made to airports.

The objectives of the program are to enhance safety, preserve existing facilities, respond to present needs and provide for anticipated needs.

"This will be a three-year process," Addison said of the improvements program. "It will require a master plan and some investment on our part, but the impact for Wills Point could be enormous."