Grant funds are being sought to alleviate the financial hit the Georgetown Municipal Airport has taken due to COVID-19.
Georgetown City Council approved an application for the funding at the May 26 meeting.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Texas Department of Transportation are finalizing the application and administration process, staff documents said. Based on the distribution formula, Georgetown is eligible for about $157,000 to use toward COVID-19 response expenditures as well as improvements at the airport allowed under FAA rules. The grant period is four years.
The coronavirus relief act is providing about $10 billion to support U.S. airports experiencing severe economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to an FAA information sheet included in the staff documents. It said this funding will be distributed to airports to prevent, prepare for and respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Regarding Georgetown’s use of the funds, staff said as more information becomes available and projects are prioritized, planned expenditures may change. However, at this time planned uses at the airport include a combination of the following:
- Purchase of tracked loader
- Purchase of utility trailer
- Purchase of Kubota RTV
- Purchase of emergency generators
- Install taxiway edge lighting (LED)
- Install wildlife/cattle guards at entry gates (wildlife hazard mitigation)
- Upgrade/replace existing oil storage tank
