Business Today

KENNETT -- The start of construction of the airport improvement and expansion project may soon get under way.

Johnny Dalton, chairman of the Kennett Memorial Airport Board, said the city has been authorized by the Missouri Department of Transportation to award the project to Chester Bross Construction Co. of Hannibal, Mo.

Federal funds announced in September will allow additional construction at the airport.

"We're ecstatic about it," said Dalton, of the $2.5 million additional money the city will receive.

Dalton said the added funding means the city now has the money to build a parallel taxi-way to go with the new runway and new apron (parking area for planes).

Dalton also said the additional money will mean the paving of the taxi-way with concrete rather than asphalt. Concrete is a more durable surface and will permit access by heavier aircraft.

Money for taxi-way construction is based on traffic count and based aircraft.

Dalton said when the improvement project is completed the Kennett airport will be one of the premier airports in the area.

The project includes construction of a new runway of more than 5,000 feet, making it accessible to most small aircraft and corporate jets.

The city's share of the cost of improvements is 10 percent.

Some sales tax money was earmarked for the project several years ago, and the airport operations has allowed the board to set aside money to meet its share of the cost.

Dalton said the local airport sells fuel, aviation gas and jet fuel at some of the lowest rates in the country. This volume of fuel sales has permitted the Airport Board to build up matching funds for state and federal grants