[July 27, 2011] FAA Woes Stall Airport Project Tweet Jul 27, 2011 (Times Record - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A completed taxiway design project received its final reimbursement just in time, but the proposal for Phase 1 construction is sitting on the desk of a furloughed federal employee, Fort Smith Airport Commission members learned Tuesday. During the regular monthly commission meeting, Airport Director John Parker explained how various airport improvement projects have been affected by a furlough forced on 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration employees nationwide as a result of stalled legislation. Parker said the U.S. Senate on Friday did not act on the legislation that authorizes FAA to do its job, so everybody not connected to safety was sent home. He said the FAA employs about 32,000. Without authorization, the FAA cannot collect the taxes on tickets and fuel that provide reimbursement funding for airport improvement projects. Luckily, Parker said, the airport received its final reimbursement for the design of Taxiway A West late last week, right before FAA administrators were sent home. And not so luckily, the proposal for Phase 1 construction of that taxiway sits on an empty desk. "It's a good proposal, everything's in order," Parker said. His only concern was whether the construction prices in the bid will remain good until FAA administrators are back at work. In other business Tuesday, the panel elected commissioner Scott Archer vice chairman. Archer replaces Marcia Melvin, who was elected at the June meeting but resigned July 21 because she was called to active duty with the Navy. Also, Parker introduced Randy Oates as the new transportation security manager for the airport. To see more of the Times Record or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.swtimes.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]