Proposed federal budget cuts draws concern of airport board members

Proposed cuts in the federal budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year could potentially cost the Texarkana Regional Airport some police security, and that has airport officials concerned.

Airport Director Mark Mellinger told Airport Authority Board members during their regular monthly meeting Thursday that White House proposed budget cuts for the Transportation Security Agency as well as for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration could adversely affect the airport’s ability to provide adequate passenger security by eliminating the federal government’s Law Enforcement Officer grant reimbursement program.

Mellinger told board members that the airport is required to post a law enforcement officer close to the airport’s security checkpoint as required by the TSA.

The airport pays parttime salaries to four retired municipal police officers, which collectively cost about $80,000 annually. The TSA then reimburses the airport about 50 percent of the yearly cost ($40,000). Each officer works about at least 20 to 30 hours a week.

Mellinger told board members that he sent e-mails to both U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe of Texas and Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, letting them know how crucial and important it is to keep the program before the budget gets voted on later this year.

In other business, board members approved giving Mellinger permission to apply for a federal grant amounting to just under $1 million. The grant will be used to pay for engineering design work on the airport’s extended taxiway.

Mellinger said the FAA will fund 90 percent of the grant, which the airport should receive later this summer. The design project will take about eight months to finish.