Excelsior Springs Memorial (3EX), Missouri: Council Votes to Upgrade Airport

Posted on: 9:23 pm, February 2, 2013, by Sean McDowell, updated on: 09:35pm, February 2, 2013  

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Success. That’s how pilots in Excelsior Springs would classify this morning’s city council work session, aviators saw their wishes granted. 

Hobby pilots in that community have been asking for upgrades in their local airport, and now, the city agrees to do the work.

Work on smaller tasks around Excelsior Springs Airport — such as the replacement of lights and signs — has already begun. Excelsior Springs Mayor Ambrose Buckman announces plans to give the airport a facelift at Friday morning’s city council work session. Buckman says his city wants to make this a priority during 2013.

Before this morning, members of the city council had denounced the airport, saying insurance costs were too high for a facility that doesn’t make money for Excelsior Springs.

“We will request assistance from MoDOT to address issues at the airport, correct the ones that can be corrected, and work on not all at once — but work on them as we go forth,” Mayor Bucknan said.

The council had previously passed on an offer from local business operators Jim and Sarah Dickerson. Under that agreement, the Dickersons would pay the city $25,000. In turn, they’d manage the terminal, hangars and a potential new restaurant at the airport. The city would pick up bills for insurance, runway maintenance and all signs and lights.

“By what happened today, that allows us to work together with the city,” Dickerson said. “Let’s work together. We’ll revitalize the airport. We’ll reenergize the whole operation, and then, we’ll gradually do these things we can accomplish.”

Mayor Buckman says he’ll have that meeting with MoDOT soon, and he’ll begin with asking that agency for money to use in the resealing in the cracks and holes in the runway at the airport. He says he wants to have all the work done at the airport by the summer of 2013.

Mayor Buckman says the city will apply for grant money from modot for runway repairs before February 15th.

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