COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DEFINITELY WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NO MONEY HAS BEEN COMMITTED YET, HOWEVER
Paul Van Haute, who was Baldwin County’s interim county manager at the time, previously floated the idea of selling the Baldwin County Regional Airport in order to help ease the county’s financial woes.
Van Haute, however, no longer is around, and selling the airport apparently isn’t part of the plan.
County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution to “authorize the Baldwin County Airport Capital Improvement Plan for the Fiscal Years 2028 through 2032.”
It’s all part of a proposed $6.1 million dollar expansion and improvement plan at the airport. The county government’s “match” would be 2.5 percent – $29,825 in 2028, $95,535 in 2029, $18,750 in 2030, $110,000 in 2031 and $106,250 in 2032.
On Tuesday, county commissioners simply voted to submit the plan to the Federal Aviation Administration. If a county government doesn’t submit a plan each year, it runs the risk of losing federal grant money.
Multiple county commissioners definitely went out of their way to make sure everyone in the audience understood that they were simply voting to submit a plan, as opposed to voting to spend any money.
“I’m happy to vote on a plan. I’m not committing to any money,” said Scott Little.
“I agree,” said Commissioner Kendrick Butts.
Added Commissioner Emily Davis: “Do we need the minutes to reflect that?”
Butts then turned to County Clerk Bo Danuser and told Danuser to make sure he noted that.
“Make sure (the minutes reflect that) we’re doing this plan because it has to be done for (the) FAA and not committing to a financial commitment,” said Davis.
Added Commissioner Andrew Strickland: “This is not an appropriations vote.”
If ultimately approved by county commissioners, phase 1 in 2028 would include a terminal apron expansion. The terminal apron is basically where planes are loaded, unloaded and fueled.
Also included is “obstruction removal” from Goat Island/Airport Island, which is required by the FAA. This would mean either cutting down trees from higher parts of the island or removing them with a saw hanging from a helicopter.
The first big-ticket item in the plan would come in 2031, the construction of a new taxiway. A taxiway is the main path for aircraft that connects different parts of an airport. The second big-ticket item is “construction/rehab of the main ramp.” Both of those items are projected to cost over $2 million.