A topic on several meeting agendas in Guthrie County this week regards the county’s regional airport authority and the crumbling runway they’re attempting to replace.

The two city entities in the airport authority, Guthrie Center and Panora, both will hold public hearings and first readings on new agreements re-establishing the authority, which originally began in 1989, and for a tax levy to help fund the 10% of local funds needed for a 90% match from the Federal Aviation Administration for the estimated $3.8 million project.

Authority Board Secretary Allen Darrow says after the County Board of Supervisors expressed concern over raising taxes to unincorporated residents for this project, the Authority presented three proposals, one of which to construct the minimum of a new runway. Darrow shares the Board’s feedback, “They opted out of the maintenance and the ramp project and want to pay at this point just strictly have an agreement for the runway, the original $380,000 that they would be responsible for. So in effect they turned down what is it, $1.3 million worth of grants to save $150,000.”

The runway is of the utmost importance to the Authority, as the airport could be shutdown within a year if it is not replaced. The Supervisors will hold public hearings for the proposed agreements tomorrow, with possible action thereafter.