The city council of Danville will discuss three budget amendments at its regular meeting on Tuesday at 7 pm. These amendments are to be used to fund projects and programs at the Danville Regional Airport.
The first reading of each item means that there will not be a vote afterward. The council will then hear the items again after receiving feedback from different boards and committees.
The council will first consider amending its budget for the current fiscal year to include a $100,000 grant provided by the Virginia Department of Aviation. The grant is matched by a local amount of $42,000 for a total of $142,000.
According to the agenda packet , the state aviation department provides airport maintenance funds in order to help airports maintain their facilities in a safe operating condition.
According to a staff report, the airport will use the money to repair a roof on the operations tower, remove brush in a ravine which requires special equipment, and replace a tractor.
The council may also amend the budget in order to include a second grant, this time from the Virginia Department of Aviation. This will be used to raise awareness about aviation at the regional airport of the city.
The $5,000 grant will be matched by a local $5,000 match to support an airport Open House and Free Fly Day scheduled for November 1.
The grant will be used to cover the costs of the annual event that offers free plane rides and airport tours for children aged 8-17, provided by Averett University’s flight instructors.
The council will also consider a proposed budget amendment that would allow federal and state funds to be used to construct a building and hangar for an aviation training facility.
Nearly $7.4million has been approved by federal and state sources. A local match of approximately $200,000 is also included, making a total amount of $7.6million.
Site preparation construction was completed in the last fiscal year to prepare the airport for an over 13,000 square foot training facility and a 6400 square foot hangar. These projects also received approximately $4 million from the federal government and $2.5 million from the state last year.
Averett University will use the hangar to store aircraft so that Danville Community College can have a hangar they already own.
According to a staff report, construction on the hangar should be completed in the first quarter 2027.
According to the report, “excellent job opportunities will be created for students who complete Averett’s aviation maintenance training and DCC’s flight instruction training.”
It says that additional aviation training for workers could enhance airport development.
The City recommends that all three items be approved by the council.
The council will also consider at this meeting the purchase of approximately 7 acres of land along the Dan River, Memorial Drive and the Dan River for the development of whitewater channels. The Industrial Development Authority of the city, which owns this land, has approved the sale.
A work session will follow the meeting. This is the only meeting of the government in Danville for this week.
The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission will meet Tuesday at 7 pm.
The original post Danville City Council will consider 3 budget amendments relating to the regional airport first appeared on Cardinal News.
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