Findlay Airport up for more improvements

FINDLAY — More improvements could be coming to Findlay Airport, 1615 Gray St. Work on a $5.3 million taxiway project could soon get underway. Legislation to appropriate funding for the project was introduced to Findlay City Council at its Jan. 21 meeting, and is up for a second reading on Tuesday. Council will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. All council meetings are open to the public and are live-streamed on the city's YouTube channel: Findlay Ohio. Legislation is read at three separate meetings before a vote to allow for council's and the public's review. It takes a vote of council to suspend the rule to rush through legislation. A bid opening on the Runway 7-25 Rehabilitation Project was held on June 18, with one bid received from The Shelly Company-Northwest of Findlay of $4,894,081. In a letter dated Jan. 13, City Engineer Jeremy Kalb said as part of the project, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Aviation Division have awarded Findlay two grants to pay for the construction. The federal grant is for $4.8 million and the state grant is for $266,281. "The two awarded grant funds will cover 95% of the construction cost and the city will be responsible for the remaining 5%," Kalb said. If approved by council, the legislation will appropriate $275,000 from the city's Capital Improvement Fund for the construction. In November, council voted to appropriate $475,000 for the construction of a building to house the airport's snow removal equipment, freeing up two hangars that could be leased by the city. A total of $200,000 was paid from American Rescue Plan Act funds, once set aside for demolition in the city. The balance was paid from the city's capital improvement funds. Leasing that space would equal about $3,600 in additional revenue for the airport each year. The airport currently has a waitlist for hangar space. Council also voted in November to appropriate $40,000 from the city's capital improvement fund to remodel an office and bathroom at the airport.