Photos courtesy of McClure Engineering

Is the Guthrie County Regional Airport worth $380,000? That is what the Airport Authority Board is asking residents for a proposed runway reconstruction project.

The Board has the chance to receive 90% funding from the Federal Aviation Administration for the approximate $3.8 million project to replace the 29-year-old runway. In order to receive the grant the Board must fund the remaining 10% locally. Without this project, the airport could cease to exist. Authority Board Secretary Allen Darrow says that McClure Engineering calculated the airport brings about $180,000 annually to the County economy, “We have a number of businesses that use the airport, primarily a major use of the airport is for crop dusting or cover crop application.”

Authority Board Treasurer Lance Levis says while they had proposed a levy structure for Guthrie Center, Panora, and unincorporated county residents to cover the $380,000, they are flexible to what the stakeholders would prefer, “Actually the cities and the County pretty much worked it out on their own. The cities I think have pretty much finalized what they think they can do and so now we’re waiting to see what the County would like to do.”

A draft is currently being looked at by the Board’s attorney and the County Attorney. The Authority Board hopes the County Board of Supervisors will take action on funding soon, as time may be running out on receiving the federal funding.