Video: Tupelo Council Mulls Airport Grant Proposal

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The Tupelo City Council is a step closer to providing a half million dollars for improvements to a taxiway at Tupelo Regional Airport. The money would allow the city to receive a matching grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The council put the grant proposal on the study agenda, and it will be voted on at the next city council meeting. Several council members have been concerned that aircraft recycler Universal Asset Management has been parking their aircraft outside of the area it leases.

“What you have it slows down the operation and the efficiency of them being able to cycle through airplanes. And the hope is to build this up to get a good solid foundation for these aircraft to operate under as well as to build up this area for future economic development.”

Abramson says the council is also considering charging tenants like Universal Asset additional fees for aircraft parked outside its designated lease area. He says the council wants to be with the Tupelo Airport Authority to discuss the grant and issues with UAM. There is an August 1st deadline for acceptance of the grant from MDOT.