Fulton City airport tenants urge reinstatement of advisory board, cite winter closures

Nicole Myers, owner of Myers Aviation, told the Fulton City Council that her business supports three full‑time employees and two part‑time technicians and that more than half of the aircraft her company serviced in 2024 flew in from other airports specifically for services offered in Fulton.

“My business supports three full time employees and two part time technicians who are members of our aviation maintenance apprenticeship program,” Myers said during the meeting’s public‑comment period. She said her company has offered to play a more formal role in daily airport operations but has been unable to find a venue to discuss that offer with city administration.

Tenant Ryan Lachmutt said recent winter closures have been particularly disruptive. “These closures cause issues with schedules and create conflicts,” he said, adding that the airport closed after a winter event that began Jan. 4 and—at the time he spoke—was expected to remain closed until a proposed date of the 16th.

Lachmutt described what he said is a gap in the city’s snow‑removal approach for the airport: he said a proposed snow‑removal policy appeared to prioritize roadways (one lane cleared within 72 hours) and did not include overtime for clearing the airport. He also asked that the city consider training or resources for airport managers, referencing the Missouri Airport Managers Association and the Missouri State Aviation Council as potential supports.

Resident Lance Campbell urged collaboration between tenants and the city and said tenants want to help make the airport a stronger community asset.

Councilman Stone, speaking during council concerns, said he was “very thankful for the continued open conversations with the airport tenants and look[s] forward to seeing more of that involvement with the airport advisory board.” The council discussion indicated general support for more engagement, but no motion to reinstate or formally create an advisory board was made during the meeting.

Why it matters: tenants and small businesses that rely on the Fulton airport told the council that disruptions from winter closures have local economic effects—on fuel sales, mechanics on the field and businesses that use the airfield for regular operations—and that a formal advisory body could improve communication on hangar rents, land leases, snow removal and other operational matters.

The meeting record shows requests from tenants for the city to reopen regular advisory meetings, better communication channels with administration, and possible manager training; city members expressed appreciation for tenants’ input, but the council took no formal action to change policy or reinstate the advisory board at this session.

Looking ahead, tenants asked the council to consider reinstating quarterly airport‑advisory meetings and to review the city’s snow‑removal policy and staffing for airport clearing; the council did not provide a timeline or a directive at the meeting.