November 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville is closer to securing grant funding to build a parallel taxiway at the Airport.
During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Mayor and Aldermen voted to apply for a $150,000 grant to pay most of the engineering costs in conducting a 30% design of the taxiway project. If approved, the grant would be funded 90% by federal funds, 5% by the state, and a 5% local match or $7,500.
Airport Manager Joe Johnson said this engineering project must be underway before the city can qualify for another grant of up to $4.6 million to actually construct the taxiway. The city has already applied for that 100% federally funded grant and should know by February if it is awarded. Should the $4.6 million grant be approved, then the city will proceed with the remaining 70% of the taxiway design at a 5% grant match.
Johnson will appear before the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission November 15 to present the city’s plans for the taxiway project.
If the grants are approved it will likely be 2020 before construction begins on the taxiway.
Johnson also praised the Mayor and Aldermen and City Attorney Vester Parsley for supporting him in reaching a settlement with a landowner in the city’s efforts to acquire property for the development of the parallel taxiway.
Meanwhile, a committee has been named, which will select a consulting engineer for the project.
Johnson said the city’s five year contract with the consulting firm of CHA expires this month. Members of that committee in addition to Johnson are Aldermen Shawn Jacobs and Brandon Cox, and other members Roth Terrell and Ron Hurd.