By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

During Monday night’s Madison City Council meeting, City Manager David Nunn asked the council to approve his request to have the mayor sign a letter accepting federal money to improve the airport.
The letter is due back by Sept. 15 and requires that the city agree to fund the project in fiscal year 2013, which ends June 30, 2013, and to move ahead with the project.
He explained that the money would allow them to lengthen the runway, the parallel taxiway and relocate some of the facilities.
Nunn said tentative allocation includes: obstruction removal, lighting and purchasing property. He explained that they may have to remove trees inside the slopes and at both ends of the runway and continued that they may need to add lights to some nearby grain elevators.
Nunn said that the percentage of federal funding dropped from 95 percent to 90 percent in FY12.
Councilman Whitey Hunt asked if the project would deal with the taxiway and Nunn said no.
“It won’t have anything to do with the taxiway,” Nunn said. He added that things have moved in the right direction, “It makes things safer.”
Gilbert said a longer runway gives more room for contingencies.
Discussion was then open to the public.
Madison resident Laura Butler asked in which direction the runway would be extended.
Nunn said it would be along the north and west sides on Bass Road and going down the hill away from Butler’s home.
Nunn then requested that the mayor sign the two letters: one saying the city will do this project this fiscal year and one requesting funds. His request was approved.

Printed in the September 13 edition.