News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
TDOT has reduced a $26,000 maintenance grant for the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport by $11,000.
Airport Manager Dean Selby said Tuesday that the reduced amount came as a surprise.
“We don’t know yet if TDOT made a mistake or if they intended to do this. When I get an answer it will make me feel a little bit more comfortable,” Selby said. “One way or the other, that means we have to cut that much out out of our maintenance budget or we’ve got to find another way to come up with the money.”
Mayors from Cookeville, Sparta, White County, and Putnam County will be drafting a letter asking TDOT for an explanation. Airport board member and Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said TDOT should have given prior notification about plans to reduce the amount.
“It’s disappointing to find this out after we are already beginning the fiscal year,” Porter said. “We’re going to talk to the folks in Nashville and see if we can get them to reconsider.”
Selby said the airport uses the grant for maintaining lighting and taking care of other repairs and projects throughout the airport.
“As you can imagine, there’s a lot of lighting expense here and the grant also covers maintenance of asphalt and those types of things,” Selby said. “We use that money every year and we count on it, so it’s going to be an adjustment if this is indeed where we end up.”
The airport typically receives the full $25,000 amount because of the higher expenses associated with maintenance needs. Selby said the $15,000 amount is usually given to smaller airports throughout the region.
