By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — For the second consecutive year, Kosciutko County will provide $500,000 to support projects at the Warsaw Municipal Airport.
The county had already set aside the $500,000 from its EDIT fund and formally approved the request by Airport Manager Nick King on Tuesday.
The request won unanimous support.
The money will cover just about half of the cost for what is expected to be a three-year rehabilitation of the east-west runway.
King said the runway is so rough that it’s a top issue for pilots.
King explained at length that the airport board has worked to line up available grant money and work ahead on engineering and prep work so they could be ready when grant money becomes available.
He said the county’s support has “really propelled the airport” with different projects.
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To watch Nick King explain the benefits of working together,
click on the link and start at the 38:30 mark.
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In some instances, money from the county has freed up other airport money to use for engineering.
“When you look at our total projects that we’re doing between ‘24 and ‘25 — with power lines, the runway rehab, the taxi lane rehab … we will be just shy of $12 million total in project costs at the airport,” King said. “So we’re getting a 10-to-1 return on our money.
King said in some instances, the airport’s customer base, primarily orthopedic, is helping efforts to line up financial support.
Officials from Slate Auto, he said, used the airport several times recently as they visit the city with plans of opening an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Warsaw in the next year.
King predicted Slate could very well add to the airport’s growing base of corporate traffic.
Groninger sounded pleased with the arrangement and recent developments.
The financial support comes after the city sought to establish an airport authority about three years ago that would have required the establishment of a special tax fund.
That idea was turned back, and instead, the city and county have found what appears to be a workable compromise in the annual distribution of financial support.
“You’ve done a really good job here of trying to have projects engineered and ready to go and when the opportunity’s there, you’ve been able to execute,” Groninger said.
Fellow commissioner Bob Conley momentarily sounded less than thrilled after officials signed off on the request.
“Use it to the best of your ability. That’s all you’re getting is $500,000,” Conley said.
