Things looking up for WM Airport

Things looking up for WM Airport

Business remains strong in 2016

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis Airport commissioners heard good reports all around at the May meeting. Income from jet fuel sales remain strong. Background work for future development plans proceeding well, including plans to tie into the city’s new fiber optic network were announced. The agenda also included electing commission officers for 2016.

Airport Manager Linda Avery summarized the latest financial report produced by City Manager Frank Martin. The numbers were all in the black for the municipal airport which operates on an autonomous budget. Revenue at the airport is driven by user fees, fuel sales, grants and funding from the FAA and state aviation. Income outpaced reported spending which lined up well with monthly proportions.

“We’ve got the February financials from the city,” said Avery. “The year to date credit was $81,916.

Our expenses are running 9.56 percent of budget and our revenue is 14.06 percent of budget.”

The preliminary stages of developing new long range master plans for the airport were taking off according to airport engineer Stacey Morris with ETI corporation. Last year the airport closed out a master plan having completed all the projects.

“The Arkansas Historic Preservation Office approved our cultural resources study,” said Morris. “Plans for our south apron project were submitted and approved by the FAA. They are happy with our answers on the wildlife assessment.

We’ve studied bats and will soon schedule with the Corps of Engineers for wetlands review.” The speed of communications was expected to accelerate in West Memphis government too. The city is upgrading to fiber optics for its own phone, Internet and security surveillance and the airport manager told commissioners how the airport would plug into the new network.

“We are getting a citywide system,” said Avery. “It will probably be six months before it is implemented. It will be fiber optic with IP phones and everything will be upgraded.”

IP phones eliminate longdistance phone charges for city government offices and increase Internet speeds.

Video surveillance capabilities will unfold as the project develops.

“There will be some opportunity to include surveillance at some point,” said Avery. “I don’t know it will be done when the phones and Internet are, but that will be the next component added to that. It will be able to transfer digital images from the IP cameras to the police department when we are not here.”

The commissioners reelected the same officers to direct the board. The 2016 officers include David Pike, Chairman; Steve Jones, Vice-Chairman; and Marvin Steele, Secretary.

By John Rech