Commission discusses state appropriation request for Perry-Foley Airport hangar and possible reuse of station site

Taylor County commissioners discussed a potential state appropriation request to fund a hangar or maintenance facility at Perry-Foley Airport and considered whether the project could be paired with a future public safety facility to free up an existing hangar for private lease.

County officials told the board they had fielded inquiries from parties interested in leasing maintenance hangar space and that building a hangar and leasing it could generate recurring revenue (county staff estimated roughly $2,000 a month as a conservative figure). Commissioners and staff discussed whether a new public safety or fire-administration facility could be sited so an existing airport hangar could be returned to aviation use and leased.

County staff said the airport currently relies heavily on fuel sales and that adding hangars or maintenance facilities could diversify revenue. Staff and commissioners cautioned that requesting state appropriations carries risk: awards may be partial, the county may have to provide matching funds or cover the remainder, and grants can include multi-year spending windows.

Commissioners directed staff to submit a request for a state appropriation to pursue the hangar through the county's legislative appropriation list and to include the airport hangar as a potential priority; staff said they would develop cost estimates and follow customary appraisal processes and noted any request would follow the county's existing capital project prioritization. The board did not adopt a final funding commitment at the meeting and requested additional detail on costs and on how any award would be managed if a partial appropriation were received.