Overton Commission Defers Vote On Airport Agreement To June Meeting

Overton County Commission will consider an agreement between the county and the city of Livingston for Airport Operations at its June meeting.

That after the commission decided Monday night to send the agreement back to the highway and public safety committees for approval first. Airport Board Chair Jason Duke said he was requesting the county and the city to split the costs of operations.

“We had no agreement, the recent audit shows we need to have an agreement,” Duke said. “And in my position as a county resident, I’m all about more unity between the city and county. And that airport’s used by more county residents than city residents so I’d like to see a partnership. Kind of like the Upper Cumberland Aiport.”

Duke said that cost would add up to an estimated average of $90,000 from the county. Duke said that includes engineering fees, electricity, and other basic operating expenses. He said the 12-year agreement does not include expenditures for employee pay and benefits, as those are covered by the city.

Duke said he gave commissioners a state economic study that indicates the airport brings in some $734,000 to the community. He said in a year with more projects, the county would spend about $125,000. He said on a year with fewer projects, the county would spend about $75,000.

“We also have a $20,000 to $25,000 local match from the city and the county on all the projects,” Duke said. “Projects are like for example, we’re doing the fencing project having to replace the fence, the woven wire fence that’s real low, the fuel farm relocation, and then we have a proposed taxiway extension. Another example of that would be that in the BIL I was able to get us $159,000 a year for five years that we can use to rehab the hangar.”