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Court approves advancement of $2M state-funded Gallatin County airport terminal design
Summary
The fiscal court approved advancing design and architect work for a 5,500 sq. ft., $2 million state-funded airport terminal and related projects (T-hangars, fuel tanks, weather system); county funds were not required for the projects at this stage.
The Gallatin County Fiscal Court on Dec. 12 approved a request from the Gallatin County Airport Board to advance architect work and bid-ready design for a 5,500-square-foot terminal building and related projects.
Airport board chairman Dwayne Rasman explained there are four projects in development: a terminal building (5,500 sq. ft.), T-hangar construction, two 12,000-gallon fuel tanks, and a weather/beacon system. He said the terminal design is a $2,000,000 project funded with state funds and will not require county funds at this phase. The board has reviewed several design iterations and reduced an earlier two-story concept to a single-level building to contain costs.
Rasman said the airport board is discussing potential fixed-base operators (FBOs) to manage operations and has been in talks with two finalists; the board expects to present a letter of intent and operator proposals in the coming months. The board also described plans for public meeting-space use of the terminal’s conference room.
Court members asked whether prospective operators had input on the terminal design; airport representatives said finalists have seen conceptual diagrams and that design–bid–build restrictions under state procurement rules affect costs. The board noted the two finalists include a nationwide developer (Flint Miller Corporation) and a regional firm (DJ Carroll, Louisville), and that negotiated private investment remains a possibility after procurement.
Magistrate Ward moved and the court seconded a motion to accept the project plans and send the design to the architect for finalization and bidding; the court approved the motion by voice vote. Airport representatives said they expect the projects to be bid in February–March and, if contractors are timely, construction could begin in early summer with operations later in the year.
The board said expected outcomes include improved fueling capability, hangar availability and a terminal meeting space for community use; follow-up items include formal letters of intent from prospective operators and final procurement documents.
