October 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville has a chance to get a federal grant up to $4.6 million for the development of a parallel taxiway at the airport but a snag has developed in efforts to acquire property needed for the project.
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According to Airport Manager Joe Johnson, the city has been in negotiations with Aaron Tippin, Ronnie Mack Davis, and Eugene Minnear to purchase properties adjacent to the airport. Both Tippin and Davis have agreed to sell but Minnear wants more than four times as much as the appraised value for his land.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, Johnson informed the mayor and aldermen that Minnear has been offered $35,150 (appraised value) for his property, 4.37 acres but Minnear rejected it and made a counter offer of $152, 950. According to Johnson Minnear’s property is an overgrowth area that only has an old barn on it. Tippin has agreed to accept the city’s offer of $38,025 for his property ( parts of four lots) and Davis will get $1,050 for his land (part of one lot).
The city has already secured grants with a 5% local match for appraisals, survey, and environmental work and to purchase the properties. But in order to receive the $4.6 million federal grant to build the parallel taxiway, the city must have ownership of all the properties where it is to be located. If all the land is not acquired soon, the city may miss deadlines for obtaining the grant and could have to wait another year before making application.
The aldermen voted to ask Johnson and City Attorney Vester Parsley to meet with Minnear. Their hope is they can persuade Minnear to accept the city’s offer of $35,150 for his property. If not, the aldermen have instructed Parsley to file a land condemnation (eminent domain) lawsuit against Minnear under which the city could acquire the property. Minnear would be compensated but at an amount ordered by the court.
Johnson said if the city were to receive the $4.6 million federal grant there would be no local match other than 5% of the engineering costs which should not be more than $15,000 to the city.
The FAA awards airport improvement program discretionary grant funds across the country to primary and non-primary airports for infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, aprons and terminals.
Johnson said a parallel taxiway will make the airport much safer and enhance economic opportunity for the city making it more appealing to potential new industry.
“A parallel taxiway will make it where planes don’t have to back taxi down the main runaway. When you come in to land, you have to turn around and taxi all the way back before you can get off the runaway. If another plane comes in to land when that is happening you could be in trouble and we have had several close calls. Its like driving down the interstate and then having to turn around in the road to come back and get off an exit ramp. The state wants us to have a parallel taxiway but right now we can’t afford it without this grant,” said Johnson.