Gregg County ratifies FAA grant, approves airport fencing, lease consolidations and equipment purchase

Gregg County Commissioners on Tuesday ratified acceptance of a Federal Aviation Administration grant for an aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle and approved several related airport projects and lease changes at East Texas Regional Airport.

Max, speaking for airport staff, said the court had previously approved permission to apply for the grant and that this meeting’s item was to ratify acceptance of the award. "This is the acceptance of that grant and just asking you to approve that ratify," he said. The court approved the ratification by motion.

The court approved task order number 19 (RFQ2023-16) for airport security fencing and gate improvements, a multi‑year capital project staff said has been in design since 2023. Commissioners were told staff will next seek grant funds to help pay for the fencing work.

Commissioners also approved termination and consolidation of several tenant leases (GAW-1, GAW-3 and GAW-4) to create larger contiguous parcels for construction of a single larger hangar and then approved new replacement leases for the consolidated lots. Court members approved a related lot consolidation that reduces four parcels to two.

Separately, the court approved a $53,841 transfer from runway crack-seal/seal-coat infrastructure to machinery and equipment to buy a maintenance truck outfitted with tools needed to work in TSA-designated ramp areas. Staff explained the change was prompted by scheduling and contractual issues with a textile contractor and the need to have properly equipped single-unit maintenance access in safety areas.

All airport items were passed by motions recorded during the meeting. The county did not provide individual roll-call vote totals on the record for these items; movers and seconders were recorded for each motion.