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County approves series of East Texas Regional Airport upgrades and contracts
Summary
Grey County Commissioners approved multiple airport purchases, design and testing tasks, and federal compliance programs for East Texas Regional Airport including a $14,959.90 equipment transfer, contracts for a rotating beacon tower and a passenger boarding bridge, and FAA-required pavement and ACDBE work.
Grey County Commissioners Court on Aug. 12 approved a package of purchases, contracts and consultant task orders for East Texas Regional Airport, including a $14,959.90 transfer to buy a Grasshopper mower, new construction contracts and Federal Aviation Administration compliance work.
County officials voted to transfer $14,959.90 from maintenance and repairs to capital equipment to purchase a Grasshopper mower. Airport staff asked the court to approve the transfer and purchase; the court approved the item on a motion by Commissioner Craig and a second by Commissioner Wingo.
The court also approved a contract with Scenic Electric LLC for replacement of the airport's rotating beacon tower (bid No. 2025-17) and a contract with TK Airport Solutions Inc. for a passenger boarding bridge replacement (bid No. 2025-16). Both contracts were presented to the court as follow-on contracts after the court awarded the related bids in July and were approved with routine motions and unanimous voice votes.
County engineering consultant KSA presented and the court approved an amendment to Task Order No. 7 for a pavement classification rating (PCR) analysis and adjustments to construction materials testing fees related to runway work. Airport staff explained the FAA requires airports certificated under Part 139 to submit a pavement classification rating; the airport had delayed final PCR submission while runway construction work was performed. "The project's pretty much done. We're just waiting for the substantial completion list to be done," airport staff said, describing the runway work timeline. The court approved the KSA amendment on a motion by Commissioner Bostic and a second by Commissioner Craig.
KSA task orders for airport planning were also approved: Task Order No. 16 to establish an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program and set the airport concession DBE goals for fiscal years 2026–2028, and Task Order No. 17 for a Lot GAW8 survey. Airport staff told commissioners the ACDBE program is an FAA requirement because the airport has rental car services and concessions; staff said failure to comply could jeopardize grant funding.
Court members asked routine questions during the items and approved each with motions and unanimous voice votes. John Latham Farmer of KSA was present to answer technical questions about the bid and task orders.
Why it matters: The approvals complete procurement steps for capital projects, fulfill federal compliance requirements tied to airport grants, and set airport concession goals required by FAA rules, actions that affect future federal funding eligibility and airport operations.
Additional details: The PCR work was submitted originally on Sept. 30, 2024, but airport staff said the Federal Aviation Administration granted an extension while runway construction was underway. The court approved all related motions by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes.
