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County approves airport lighting and beacon contracts and moves $100,000 to cover costs
Summary
Commissioners approved contracts with Strippland Airfield Services for runway lighting and a replacement LED beacon struck by lightning, and authorized a $100,000 budget amendment from contingency to the airport account to cover upfront costs pending grant reimbursement.
The Newton County Commissioners Court on Feb. 10 approved a contract with Strippland Airfield Services for replacement runway lighting and a separate contract for a new LED rotating beacon after the existing beacon was struck by lightning and declared beyond repair.
County staff said Strippland will manufacture and supply lights and a beacon while county crews will dig trenches and provide labor; the county expects to submit invoices to the TxDOT ramp reimbursement program. The beacon’s manufacture and delivery were described as taking roughly four to six weeks.
A county staff estimate discussed at the meeting put the combined project near $106,000 and the beacon itself at about $9,800. Because the county’s airport budget had only about $22,800 budgeted for 2026, commissioners approved moving $100,000 from contingency (account 01049396) into the airport account (010511575) to cover immediate bills and then seek reimbursement through the TxDOT ramp grant.
The contracts and the budget amendment were approved by motion and voice vote. County staff emphasized the project is reimbursable but that the county must first cover upfront costs.
Why it matters: Restoring the beacon returns the airport to service for pilots and supports safe operations; trenching and new runway fixtures address longstanding maintenance and safety issues.
What comes next: County crews will begin trenching and site work; the beacon will be manufactured and installed once delivered; staff will file for TxDOT reimbursement.
