Council advances airport hangar project; staff to bring consultant agreement to Dec. 2 vote

Airport Manager Gary Pride told the Poplar Bluff City Council that the city is pursuing a three-phase airport improvement to add hangars and related infrastructure. He described Phase 1 as preparatory work — applications, drawings, assurances and regulatory reports — and estimated Phase 1 at about $219,000 while saying the city's Phase 1 commitment would be "less than $20,000." Pride stressed that approval of Phase 1 would not obligate the city to proceed with Phases 2 or 3.

"Phase 1 will cost approximately $219,000," Pride said during his presentation, and he described the later phases as involving taxiway construction, concrete pads for hangars, grading, sewer and electrical work. Pride also said state and federal partners were still refining the exact figures and that a secondary third-party engineering review required for projects over $100,000 through MoDOT Aviation was pending.

A councilmember asked whether the project included a new taxiway; Pride clarified it would be an access taxiway to parts of airport property that currently lack road access. Following the presentation and clarification, a motion to move the aviation project consultant agreement (between the city and Olson, Inc.) to the Dec. 2 voting session carried by voice vote.

The airport manager also noted that Phase 3 — construction of hangar buildings — is anticipated in the fall of 2025 and is expected to rely on private funding for the hangar construction itself.

The council did not take final action on the consultant agreement at this meeting; staff will present the formal contract and grant documents at the Dec. 2 voting session.