Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Grant Approved For Lowe Fields Upgrades

Squeals of joy could be heard echoing throughout City Hall Thursday morning after Mary Burns learned a grant for $75,000 had been approved for Lowe Field.

Burns, the newest member of the Gurdon Airport Commission, had been working on the grant for about two months. However, the commission had been working to get the grant for a couple of years.

This means Lowe Field will see its runway widened from 30 feet to 60 feet, and a storm drain will be repaired.

During the commissions meeting Thursday night, March 14, Burns said the first phase of upgrades for Lowe Field are "pretty much done" with in-kind labor.

The grant, approved by the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics Commission, was a 75-25 deal, with the airport commission needing $25,000 for its part.

Roy Rickens, also a commissioner, said the Gurdon group should have about $4,900 of in-kind left which could be applied to Phase II of the project.

Burns agreed, and said the commission needs to keep hammering away to get the total project done as soon as possible.

Depending on the weather, the first phase of construction at Lowe Field could be done by early June, with the entire project finished by the end of 1996.

Rickens said he has been in contact with B&B Construction of Hope to do the dirtwork for the project.

Garver and Garver Engineers of Little Rock are the project engineers.

Mike Griffin, with G&G, said everything went smooth when the grant request was presented to the commission in Little Rock. "We got lucky," he said. "They approved it and asked very few questions."

The state aeronautics commission was informed of the amount of in-kind work the Gurdon group had already done to upgrade Lowe Field.

According to Griffin, the runway will be widened on its north side as this is where the least fill will be required.

Additionally, the drainage will see 210 feet of pipe laid. This will be done before the runway work is begun.

"The commission was impressed," he told the Gurdon panel, "with your study and the work you've done.

"They look to see if safety problems are taken care of first, and that's what you've done. You've gone by the book."

Griffin said the state entity looked at the in-kind work Gurdon had already done, as well as how the local commission had kept records on the work completed.

He said the commission can turn in a request for reimbursement as soon as half of the work is done. Griffin added this shouldn't take long as the Gurdon panel is almost to this point already.

According to Griffin, the second portion of the project could be more expensive, costing $115,000 instead of $100,000. He said normally the state aeronautics board only approves 75-25 grants, but have been known to make exceptions in the past.

Rickens said when phase I is completed, the commission could be about halfway towards its part of the match for phase II.

Brock Johnson, vice president of Garver and Garver, urged caution. He said the state board may not allow the Gurdon commission to count any left over work done toward the second portion of the project.

However, he said the state agency also knows Gurdon plans to go from phase I to phase II with no seams or stoppage in work. Johnson said it may be wiser for Gurdon to go slower and not get too far ahead with in-kind labor.

In discussing in-kind labor, Rickens said the city's street department has the equipment to do most of the work needed. He continued, saying the commission will have to hire the dirtwork done to get the embankment moved.

Some confusion arose as to how much could be carried over from phase I to phase II.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith asked how the commission could have in-kind work for phase II if none could be carried over.

Rickens agreed, saying the commission should be given credit for work done.

Johnson said basically the commission would be acting as its own contractor in this case, but would have to discuss the issue with the state panel before applying for the second phase grant money.

Smith said this would be no problem as the city could bill the commission for all work done. This, he said, could be represented to the state group as in-kind work already paid for, which should qualify on phase II of the grant process.

According to Smith, this is how the city worked with the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission.

Rickens changed the subject, asking Griffin and Johnson what specifically needs to be done to complete phase I and get ready for phase II.

Griffin said basically what the commission has planned on widening the runway and getting the drainage done, would get the first phase completed.

Once the project is done, both portions, Lowe Field will be approved for instrument approach instead of the current visual approach.

However, before the total project can be completed, the commission must get avigation easement at the west end of the runway.

The avigation easement works on a 34:1 ratio. For every 34 feet out, easement must be acquired for one foot up. For the most part, this shouldn't be a major drawback for the airport commission.

According to Rickens, when the runway is widened, the commission will have a 12 inch subgrade below the surface. Then, eight inches of clay gravel will be added and compacted before the final four inches of crushed gravel is laid and compacted. Once the gravel is down and compacted the runway will be paved.

Griffin said the four over eight method is pretty standard for runways, and should meet with Federal Aviation Administration standards as well.

Rickens said a closer source has been located for the gravel. This means the commission will not have to have gravel hauled from Malvern, and can, instead, get it from Whelen Springs.

Hopefully, he said, this will cut down on the expense of the gravel. Rickens said this gravel also meets state highway specifications, though it's not crushed.

Talking about phase II, Griffin said almost all of the money for the second portion will be utilized in construction. He said little will be required for the engineering fees.

According to information presented to the Gurdon commission, engineering and testing fees for phase II will cost about $3,700.

But, the overall cost of phase II is estimated to be $115,600.

Burns asked when the commission could apply for a grant to begin work on phase II of the project.

Johnson said the state agency's fiscal year begins on July 1, 1996, and this would be a good time to apply.

In fact, Johnson said Griffin has already informed the state group of Gurdon's plans to apply for a second grant soon.

Griffin said John Knight, director of the state aeronautics commission, would like to present the check to the Gurdon commission