Council considered authorizing the city manager to apply for an Ohio Department of Transportation Airport Improvement Program grant of up to $750,000 to build a 60 by 100 foot box hangar to diversify hangar types at Middletown Regional Airport. Staff said the grant is 90% funded by the state and would require a 10% city match (about $75,000 if the full award is granted); total project cost was presented as roughly $1.11 million with an airport share near $361,000.

Airport Manager Nick told council the hangar could attract larger aircraft and said, "I think we could get approximately 2" midsize jets into a single box hangar. Councilmembers raised concerns that a single box hangar might lock up valuable apron/acreage that could be needed for larger aerospace or Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, and asked staff to clarify whether the placement would hamper future development. Nick and staff said they selected the site to minimize future constraints and pointed to an ongoing airport master plan that envisions additional T‑hangars and other facilities.

Council discussed projected rent revenue for a corporate hangar and the tradeoffs between immediate hangar demand and longer‑term aerospace ambitions. One council member urged more strategic planning at an upcoming strategic session to weigh job‑creation scenarios against immediate grant opportunities, warning that accepting the grant and building a large box hangar without broader alignment could reduce flexibility for larger economic development projects.

No final appropriation or application approval occurred at the Nov. 18 meeting; the item was scheduled for second reading and further consideration on Dec. 2.