Apron expansion on track

One project is on schedule to start next month.

Plans for another are moving forward.

Portland Board of Aviation learned Wednesday that the planned apron expansion project at Portland Municipal Airport is on track to start as scheduled in August and that a Federal Aviation Administration grant has come through to begin design of runway pavement improvements.

The board also approved its budget for 2026.

Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert informed board members Faron Parr, Clyde Bray, John Ferguson and Caleb Lutes that all Federal Aviation Administration funding is in place and Kwest Group of Perrysburg, Ohio, is on track to start the apron expansion project in mid-August. The work will expand the apron — the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, boarded or maintained — by 1.32 acres (57,700 square feet).

The project's cost is $965,497.15, with 95% of the funding coming from federal grants and 2.5% each from state and local sources. Completion is expected in October.

Clearwaters also reported that the FAA announced grant funding approval on July 8 for the design of a runway rehabilitation project. It will cover improvements for the 4,000 feet of original runway at the airport. He told local officials to expect paperwork for the grant to come through in the next few weeks, after which his firm will begin design work.

The project is planned for bidding and construction in 2026.

Also Wednesday, Clearwaters told board members he expects the city will have approximately enough funding left over from its current year and upcoming year of funds from the 2021 federal infrastructure bill to cover the cost of replacing the airport’s automated weather observing station. He said he is working with two other airports on similar projects, with costs ranging from $180,000 to $210,000.

The board also approved its 2026 budget at $270,700, up from $236,000 for the current year.

The biggest changes include a $15,000 increase in the repairs and maintenance budget to $75,000, a $10,000 increase for other contractual services to $6,500, a $5,000 increase for the airport manager’s salary and a $2,500 increase for equipment. Parr noted that the airport manager had not received a pay raise in at least five years.

In other business, the board:

•Heard from Tavzel that the airport sold $2,878 gallons of fuel for $22,885.66 in June. That’s down from 7,090 gallons from June 2024 and 6,210 in June 2023. (Tavzel noted that activity with lessons, crop dusting and charters has been up recently and he expects a significant jump in fuel sales for July and August.

•Learned Ryan Green of Decatur recently earned his commercial pilot’s license through the flight school at Portland Municipal Airport.

•Heard Ferguson ask about the status of a request from Tim Homan of Celina, Ohio, about possibly building a hangar at the airport. Parr and Tavzel said he is still interested, but no firm plans have been presented thus far.

•Was reminded that the annual fly-in is scheduled for Aug. 23. There will be a breakfast including pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy and breakfast burritos. Flights will be available for $20 per person.

•Heard a Young Eagles event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. Young Eagles offers free flights to those 8 through 17 years old.

•Was asked to be ready to discuss the airport’s capital improvement plan at next month’s meeting. It will be due to the FAA by Dec. 1.

•Approved $1,223.13 in claims.