Board approves grants, contracts and hangar agreements at Elkhart City Airport meeting

The Elkhart City Airport Board approved several routine and capital actions during the meeting, including contract authorizations, grant acceptance, hangar agreements and design ratifications.

Hangar 39 ramp milling and resurfacing: The board approved an agreement for milling and resurfacing of the Hangar 39 ramp under which the tenant agreed to pay 50% of the project cost; the airport owns the property. Andy Jones said the arrangement mirrors past practice where the city supplies labor and the tenant pays materials or improvements. The motion passed on roll call (Maggie Moronka, Tom Schauff, Doug Form voted yes).

Reversion of 50‑series hangar to city ownership: The board approved a reversion agreement to bring a 50‑series hangar improvement back to city ownership after staff discovered the reversion had not been recorded when a prior long‑term lease ended. Kevin reported the last recorded document was the land lease and that the reversion had not been finalized; the motion passed on roll call.

Solicit quotes for tower repairs: The board authorized staff to solicit quotes to repair the air traffic control tower after lightning strikes on July 26, 2025 (see separate article). The motion passed on roll call.

National Guard driving training: The board approved the National Guard’s request to use airport property for a vehicle driving course on October 5. Andrew said the guard previously used the site without incident and that the guard signed an indemnification agreement; the board approved the one‑day request.

Ten‑unit hangar design release ratification: The board ratified a revised design release for a 10‑unit T‑hangar, which the contractor resubmitted after the initial submission was kicked back because the hangar area exceeded 12,000 square feet. The revision calls for a two‑hour fire barrier between the eighth and ninth units to reduce the fire area below the 12,000‑square‑foot threshold; board approved.

FAA AIP 42 grant acceptance for Runway 1836 rehabilitation: The board accepted an FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant for Runway 1836 pavement rehabilitation. Andy told the board the federal share is $1,929,739; the total grant amount is $2,031,003.05 with $50,783 from the State of Indiana and a $50,783 city match. The board recorded the acceptance vote and the grant will proceed via the Chicago airport district office’s DocuSign process and city legal.

Runway 927 joint rehabilitation contract authorization: The board authorized execution of a contract with Interstate Sealant and Concrete, Inc. for Runway 927 joint rehabilitation. Andy said the contract needs an executed signature for scheduling and that the RDC (Redevelopment Commission) is expected to appropriate funds in about 10 days. Board members noted the seasonal window for sealant and paint work and that paint requires at least 45‑degree temperatures to cure. The board approved the contract authorization on roll call.

Roll calls for each item were conducted by Karen; votes recorded in the meeting transcript show unanimous yes votes among present members for the listed items. Staff noted several follow‑ups: coordinating RDC funding, contractor scheduling, safety plans for working without a tower, preapproval of paint and sealant submittals, and further legal/contract reviews.