Representatives of various businesses located in and around the Newport Airport as well as city and county officials gathered Tuesday to enjoy a barbeque dinner with the Newport Airport Commission.
The purpose of the meeting was not only to report on a number of improvements made to the facility, but to thank the attendees for their cooperation in a variety of efforts made by the Commission.
"We're out here by ourselves and we wanted everyone to see how we're doing and how we're trying to spruce everything up," Jim Martin said while opening the meeting.
Commissioner Jim McLarty addressed the audience and recognized most of the attendees for a variety of efforts made to assist the Commission in improvement projects.
"The City of Newport has never said no. We've tried to be reasonable and made good cases for our projects," he said.
Due to the decline in flight activity in conjunction with the depressed economy, the city has increased the allowance given to the airport to counterbalance the depressed revenue.
"Without that continuing support," McLarty said, "we couldn't do what we're doing right now."
The same type of steps have been taken by the Newport Economic Development Commission, who has stepped in by serving as matches for projects. McLarty addressed members of the NEDC saying, "we feel like we are playing a role, and a very important role, in what you guys are attempting to do and that is bring new jobs to Newport."
He continued by saying, "the first time the rubber hits the road here in Newport is generally out there. What they see now and what they feel now is the smoothness and safety of that runway and the safety of this apron and the way we keep this place immaculately clean, I think go a long way to put a sweet taste in their mouth when they come to talk details with the mayor and the city. We can't get them here and I don't think the airport alone can keep them here, but we can do a whole lot to make that sale easier if they've got a sweet taste in their mouth from what they think about the airport."
One of the newest projects just completed at the airport is the gate that surrounds the airfield. With the help of Commissioner Martin, the airport also recently acquired a T37 aircraft that was donated by the Air Force. The plans are to one day have the aircraft placed in a prominent location to attract visitors.
The airbase is also the location of an Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS), which records and reports weather conditions. McLarty explained to the attendees that the station can be utilized by the Weather Channel, but isn't being used as of yet. He encouraged local citizens to contact the Weather Channel and convince them to use the system which would report Newport's weather instead of just surrounding communities.
"We don't feel like we can slow down because Batesville's not slowing down, Searcy's not slowing down, and Walnut Ridge is going like a house fire up there," McLarty said, "so all of our communities are fighting hard to improve what they have and we're trying to stay up."
