Budget approved for airport runway reconstruction

The runway at the John A. Baker Airfield is the oldest in the state of Tennessee. A Tennessee Airport Inspection Report was made on July 14, 2020, stating that the runway “is in need of rehabilitation due to excess degradation,” and a project to rehabilitate it was recommended.

The report’s call for rehabilitation struck debate in the County Commission’s last meeting, and caused it once again during Monday’s meeting.

Citizens came to plead their cases to the County. The city’s Vice-Mayor was the first to address the commissioners.

Barber pointed out that the project would most likely be the biggest one we see during our lifetimes. He also pointed out that the airport is used by businesses in Lewis County including Oliver Technologies and Darren Breaud’s B&B Race Cars.

“This airport is more than pavement, planes and grass,” said Vice-Mayor Barber. “If you go out there and look in that office, that room is completely full of Shirt Tails, where people from Lewis County learned to fly, and from that, a lot of them went on to have airline careers.”

“Aviation is alive and well in Tennessee. MTSU is at capacity for their aerospace program... We’ve created a stack of airplane pilots and we’re now in second generations,” said Barber. “Good Lord willing, my daughter will be the first female airline pilot in Lewis County.”

Rob Rawdon and War Reese also addressed the Commission, stating that the airport is vital to Lewis County’s community because it’s an asset to increasing the amount of jobs and revenue coming into our community. Todd Montgomery with the Elephant Sanctuary stated they use the airport for business purposes.

The Runway Reconstruction project will cost a total of $2,576,477. The State of Tennessee will contribute $2,079,528.15 and the USDA will contribute $387,500. This means the County would only have to provide $109,448.85, which is approximately 4.25 percent of the total cost of the project.

The project was sponsored by Commissioners Halfacre and Carroll. The Resolution passed with 13 commissioners voting yes, 0 voted no. T.J and Timmie Hinson both passed.