Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

WASHINGTON COUNTY—It’s been in the works since 2012, and the terminal building at the Washington County Airport is nearly a reality with an expected completion date sometime this spring.

“The newly constructed terminal building at the Washington County Airport is a milestone for growth in Washington County,” Washington County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) Executive Director Krista Snyder said. “The airport is utilized by area businesses that would not have business here if it weren’t for the existence of the airport. In the past, the pilots and passengers had minimal access to any facilities or resting area.”

The terminal, which will allow expanded use of the airport by both the business and private sector, is a result of a $174,817 investment by the Delta Regional Authority.

“Projects like these serve as signs that tell the world, ‘Missouri is open for business,’” DRA Alternate Federal Co-chairman Mike Marshall said. “Improving our region’s transportation infrastructure is a heavy foot forward in attracting new business and strengthening the businesses that drive our regional economy.”

One such business is Purcell Tire, whose commitment to provide a $140,000 private investment fueled the project.

“Purcell Tire and Rubber Company needs support facilities that would not only house our larger jets, but accommodate our larger vendors and customers with a nice facility for meetings and a private pilots’ lounge,” Purcell Tire and Rubber Company CEO Robert Purcell said. “We currently must house our larger jets in St. Louis.”

According to Snyder, the terminal building is a piece of the airport master plan for expansion of the runway,which will allow those larger jets access.

The new terminal building will make it possible for Purcell and other businesses like it to conduct more business in Potosi. It will provide meeting space, an on-site office for the airportmanager and a private pilots’ lounge where they can communicate with traffic control and the Federal Aviation Administration, check weather patterns anddevelop flight plans.

Construction of the 1455 square foot terminal building began in the fall of 2014, and is now complete. Airport staff expects to begin using the new building as soon as weather permits.
Also contributing to the project financially is the Washington County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), which provided a cash contribution of $42,267.

The total cost for the new terminal is $252,627.

In addition to the terminal building itself, the project also includes a new road to access the building. The road will be built using Washington County road crews and resources as an in-kind contribution valued at $35,000.

Paving the new road is the final stage of the project and, although it has been held up because of weather issues, completion is expected this spring.

Snyder praised the teamwork between several entities required to bring the project forward.

“This project would not have been possible without the collaboration between the Washington County IDA, Washington County Airport Board, Washington County, Delta Regional Authority, Meramec Regional Planning Commission, MoDOT, project engineer Jviation Inc. and project contractor Brockmiller Inc.,” She said.

Led by Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill and the governors of each participating state, the DRA is a federal-state partnership that is congressionally mandated to help create jobs, build communities, and improve lives in the 252 counties and parishes within the eight-state region of the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt region. The investments come through the DRA’s States Economic Development Assistance Program and its Emergency/Contingency Fund. With 44 Local Development Districts as front-line project managers, these investments by the Delta Regional Authority support job creation and community development projects.

MRPC is the Local Development District for the DRA and is responsible for providing information and technical assistance on the application process. MRPC is responsible for making localgovernments and non-profits aware of the funding opportunity and to assist them with the preparation of applications.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 20, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

For more information on DRA investment opportunities in the Meramec Region, persons may contact Kelly Sink-Blair at 573-265-2993.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.