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Bogalusa speakers press administrators on airport management and grant dollars amid concerns about lost revenue
Summary
Residents and councilors pressed city staff about airport operations, unpaid rents and grant money; officials reported roughly $571,000 in federal funds and about $100,000 in state money toward an airport project but said airport operations are not currently self-sustaining.
Residents and councilors at Bogalusa's Aug. 19 meeting pressed city officials for answers about airport operations, unpaid tenant rents and the status of federal and state grants for airport improvements.
Several speakers said aircraft and hangars at the municipal airport appear in use while the city reports limited revenues and inconsistent management; they urged the council and administration to reconcile hangar rents, fuel sales and other receipts so the city can recoup operating costs. One council member asked why planes remain in hangars while the city reports little airport income.
Mayor and fiscal staff briefed the council on grant funding: the city reported it had received approximately $571,000 in federal funds plus roughly $100,000 in state funds toward an $800,000 airport project and said those amounts are reflected in the proposed budget. Staff also explained that special revenue and reimbursement rules limit how some funds can be used and that the airport historically has not been self-sustaining without management and grant support.
Why it matters: Councilors and residents said the airport could be a revenue source if hangar rents, fuel sales and management were enforced, while staff said prior contracts, reimbursements and grant rules complicate budgeting. Commenters also raised unpaid rent claims and a potential $86,000 receivable from an industrial-park tenant as other missed revenue sources.
Councilors asked staff to research outstanding rents, confirm which federal/state reimbursements are on the books, and review airport management options, including a possible outside operator. Fiscal staff said they would circulate grant documentation and clarify which funds are recognized in the budget packet.
A mayoral statement summarized available award amounts: "We got about $600,000 to finish the 800 from federal and state funds," the mayor said, clarifying the federal and state components and noting some amounts remain to be claimed. Councilors said they would follow up with the fiscal administrator and the airport manager to reconcile receipts and contracts.
