By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nearly all the current season's work at the municipal airport has been completed.
"The current year's projects were divided into two grants," said Randy McKnight, city administrator. "That happened because Congress delayed approving a budget for the fiscal year."
McKnight said that the crack sealing and resealing of the runway was completed. The painting project on the runway was nearly complete with just a bit more touch up painting to be done.
"Has the problem with the surfacing been resolved?" asked Mark Jones, Nephi City Mayor.
It was, said McKnight. The problem had been that it took longer for the resealing of the air strip to set up and harden but, as the days became cooler, that was happening and the surface was now set.
Snow removal equipment is next, McKnight said. The money for the purchase has been approved. Storage for that equipment was also needed.
"Is the shed that was advertised for sale earlier still available?" asked Don Ball, resident.
The shed was sold and had been removed from the airport. However, it would not have been adequate to use as a storage area for the new equipment.
"It would not have been a potential site because it was too small," he said. "It was one-third the size of the council room."
McKnight said that the city had always had partners in paying for the improvements which had taken place over the last few years at the city's airport.
The city council authorized Mayor Jones to execute the cooperative agency agreement with the Utah Division of Aeronautics and all other grant and project-related documents for the airport improvement project.
On May17, the FAA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish Class E airspace at Nephi. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.
This action established Class E airspace at Nephi, to accommodate aircraft using new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Nephi Municipal Airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.
