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Commission approves rental of excavator for airport brush clearing; discusses rehabbing oldest hangar
Summary
The commission discussed renting an excavator from Thompson Machinery in Tupelo for airport runway brush clearing at $5,000 per month, citing FAA concerns; the commission also discussed rehabbing the oldest hangar (roof/skylights) to justify higher rent while noting a possible conflict with a future parallel taxiway project 7–10 years out.
The commission discussed airport maintenance at Marion County Renton County Airport, including renting equipment for brush clearing along the runway and rehabbing the county’s oldest hangar.
A county official described plans to rent an excavator (model referenced as “309” with a washing head) from Thompson Machinery in Tupelo for runway cleanup. The official said the rental price would be $5,000 per month and the vendor would be responsible for repairs if the machine breaks down. “It’s coming up. There’s trees that would be in the I forget what they call it, but it’s certain distance and angle from the ground around the runway. And and if if not taken care of, they’ll get into that plane at some point,” the official said, noting FAA interest in obstacle clearance.
Separately, county staff recommended rehabbing the oldest hangar at the airport, citing storm damage to skylights and resulting interior water damage. Staff said the current rent on the hangar is approximately $300 per month (to be verified) and argued that making roof repairs would allow the county to justify a rent increase. At the same time, staff cautioned that a potential future parallel taxiway project on the southern end of the field — estimated 7–10 years out — could require relocating hangars and should be considered in long-term planning.
A motion to rent equipment and a motion to proceed with hangar improvements were made and seconded on the record; the transcript does not include a recorded final vote or a contract value beyond the monthly rental amount discussed.
