Tahlequah council approves grant application for 10 T‑hangars at municipal airport

The Tahlequah City Council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing application for federal and state grants to fund construction of 10 T‑hangars at the municipal airport. Staff said the total project is “almost $2,000,000” and the city’s matching portion will be just over $125,000. The resolution authorizes staff to apply for U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration grants and a state grant from the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics and to accept awards if offered. Airport staff told the council the project has already been bid and bids came in slightly under the construction estimate; those bid numbers were presented as the basis for the grant application. “So what this is is for us to apply for that grant, and then once it’s approved to go ahead and accept the grant,” a staff presenter said. The FAA’s timeline is uncertain, staff warned: “The FAA is doing things strange right now, so it’s hard to say for sure,” but they said construction is expected to start this year if grants are awarded. Councilors moved and approved the resolution; staff said the city would not execute construction contracts until grant funds are in hand. The council did not approve any contract awards, only authorization to apply for and accept grant offers if made.