Council hears plan for new above‑ground fuel farm at Terrell Municipal Airport; engineering procurement recommended

City Engineer Chris Snapp and airport staff presented conceptual plans on Jan. 20 for a new above‑ground fuel farm and fueling station at Terrell Municipal Airport and asked council to authorize negotiation of a professional services contract for engineering design.

Snapp said the airport’s fuel tanks were abandoned about 10 months earlier because of deterioration and the city has been renting mobile fuel trucks. An RFQ for engineering produced two responses and staff selected KSA Engineering for negotiation. “We went out for the public and posted it. We had 2 applicants return,” Snapp said.

Concept materials discussed at the meeting show two fuel points (one Jet A, one avgas), above‑ground double‑walled tanks (described in the presentation as 212,000‑gallon tanks), a pump station near the terminal, and tank siting roughly 400 yards from the terminal with screening. Snapp said the project will be partly funded with TxDOT assistance and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds; staff estimated roughly a 60/40 split (60% federal/state funding, 40% city). He estimated four to six months for the engineering phase, followed by a construction bid phase. The design will incorporate hazardous‑materials and emergency‑management considerations.

Snapp said the chosen layout allows for a third tank footing to be installed later if needed. The item before council was a resolution authorizing the city manager to negotiate and execute a professional engineering contract; staff planned final action on Jan. 21. No final contract was executed on Jan. 20.