Aviation was the topic of choice at Tuesday’s Troy City Council meeting.
The council passed three resolutions regarding Troy Municipal Airport and members made plans to attend Thursday’s ribbon cutting for the completed extension of a runway.
“There were certainly days when we didn’t know if this would ever get done,” said Mayor Jason Reeves during the meeting. “And we appreciate the Army’s help.”
The project includes a ground-based instrument approach system installed by the U.S. Army. The ILS approach system provides precision guidance to aircraft using a combination of radio signals and high-intensity lighting to enable safe landings when weather conditions may not be favorable.
With the completion of the runway project, all of the airport’s runways are instrument rated which will allow larger aircraft to use the runway.
One of Tuesday’s resolutions will transfer the ILS system to the control and maintenance of the Army.
The second airport-related resolution was an amendment to a preexisting contract with the Federal Aviation Administration. The amendment added construction overages to the contract.
The final resolution was an introduction to the next airport project. The city will remove pavement at the intersection of the three runways in order to make it easier for pilots to navigate.
“The anticipated cost of the project is $200,000,” said Councilman John Witherington.
Like the runway extension, the FAA will cover the majority of the project with an Airport Improvement Project grant.
“We get money every year,” Reeves said. “Since 9-11, the federal government has started pouring money into smaller airports.”
For several years, the government paid 95 percent of the costs of approved projects, leaving the Alabama Department of Transportation and local government to pay the difference. The 2014 grant covers 90 percent, with ALDOT and the City of Troy paying five percent each.
In other business, the Council gave Vaughn Daniels, director of environmental services, permission to buy large trucks and equipment not available locally from the National Automotive Fleet Group through the National Joint Powers Alliance.
“All this does is allows us to join the alliance,” said Reeves. “If we’re going to buy a pick up truck, we’re going to bid it and try to buy it locally.”
The council also passed the pre-trial diversion ordinance, which would give minors involved in an alcohol-related misdemeanor the option to complete a program rather than go to prison.
Reeves presented proclamation declaring May as “Community Action Month.”