Rogers council to consider airport grant

File photo -- The Rogers Executive Airport (NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER)
File photo -- The Rogers Executive Airport (NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER)

ROGERS -- City Council members tonight are set to consider accepting a $148,000 coronavirus-relief grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the Rogers Executive Airport.

The grant is part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law March 11, and will be used to offset the financial impacts of covid-19, according to a proposal to enter into an agreement with the FAA for the grant. The money will be used for operation and maintenance of the airport, and matching money from the city is not required, it states.

The FFA is awarding $8 billion in grants to airports across the country as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the FAA website, ffa.gov . The Bentonville, Springdale and Fayetteville airports are each receiving $59,000; Siloam Springs' airport is receiving $32,000; and Northwest Arkansas National Airport is receiving $9.04 million as part of the act, the site states.

This will be the third round of covid-related federal money for the Rogers Executive Airport, according to airport manager David Krutsch. The airport received $157,000 from the The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in April 2020 and $91,162 in from Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act in March 2021, he said.

Airport officials are grateful for the much-needed financial assistance as it continues to recover from the impact the covid-19 pandemic had on travel, said Krutsch.

Airport revenue fell 33% in March 2020 and 82% in April 2020 as business travel came to a stop, Krutsch said. Since then, the airport is slowly recovering and in June hit 2019 revenue levels for the first time since the pandemic began, he said.

"We're cautiously optimistic we will see continued improvement that accelerates through summer," Krutsch said.

The grants enable the airport to remain strong financially and make a quicker comeback, he said.

In other business, City Council members will consider expanding services subjected to the 3% city hotel and motel tax to include houses, cabins, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, condominiums, or similar rental accommodations for sleeping, meeting or party room facilities.

Accommodations rented or leased for more than 30 days will not be included, the proposal states.

The changes will update the language in the city's ordinance to reflect a state statute going into effect Aug. 15, said Bill Watkins, attorney for the city's Advertising and Promotion Commission.

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