Mitch Garner told Allen County commissioners Tuesday an additional hangar or two is needed at the county’s airport southeast of Iola.
“All the hangar space is rented,” holding about 15 airplanes, and several owners are interested in having the protection of hangar space for their planes, said Garner, whose department, Public Works, oversees airport operations. Garner was airport director before taking Public Works reins nearly a year ago.
“Sounds good to me,” said Commission Chairman Jerry Daniels. “If we want to keep the airport viable, we have to meet needs.”
An offshoot is that commissioners have discussed a time or two of making the airport grounds home to an industrial park. They intend to at least lay out plans of how utilities could be extended to meet an industry’s need.
Also, Garner said recent fuel pump upgrades, to make delivery faster, had not been lost on cross-country fliers. “They like the idea of being able to fill their tanks quickly, and have left compliments.”
ON THURSDAY, Commissioner Jim Talkington will attend a 4 p.m. session of local governing bodies to discuss the Bowlus Fine Arts Center and their role in helping with its financial support.
Commissioner Tom Williams is also hoping a previous commitment will end in time for him to attend the meeting. Daniels said he would be unable to attend, but “I’m all in favor of the Bowlus and doing whatever we can to help out. I’ll follow your lead,” he told Talkington and Williams.
At issue is the will of benefactor Thomas Bowlus and the district’s responsibility to the Center. School officials have discussed asking District Court to review the will, which provided the site and money to build the center and made school board members trustees.
USD 257’s use of the Bowlus for classes this year cost $144,000. Dwindling state aid to public schools is making that expense for USD 257 more and more difficult to justify.
The session, open to the public, also will have representatives from Iola’s council, USD 257 and the Bowlus. The meeting will be on the second floor in the art classroom. Attendees should enter the east doors.
COMMISSIONERS signed off on a contract making Iola Industries the owner of land on the old hospital site, where an apartment complex will be constructed. Iola Industries paid $10,000 early and completed the deal with a second $10,000.
County Counselor Alan Weber said he expected work to begin soon on the complex.
In the only action of a light agenda, commissioners gave unanimous approval for use of the courthouse lawn and a restroom in the Law Enforcement Center June 3 and 4 for the annual Relay for Life cancer fundraiser.
