An improvement project at the Lawrence County Airpark will take flight within the next month and leaders are excited that the much-needed improvements will come at a minimal cost to the county.

Established in the 1930s, the county owns the airport that is home to nearly 50 small aircraft. The airport, managed by Attitude Aviation, averages 800 takeoffs and landings each month.

The Lawrence County Commissioners accepted a $249,807 grant through the Federal Aviation Administration Thursday that will be used for drainage improvements and to update a layout plan that could lead to a runway resurfacing next year.

The grant only requires 5 percent matching funds, which were provided by the Friends of the Airport community group. The county will have to pay $1,500 for the geotechnical work.

"The drainage is the most important part," said Doug Cade, manager of engineering firm E.L. Robinson's Ironton office, which did the design work on the project. "We just have water laying everywhere."

Rick Eplion Inc. of Proctorville was awarded a contract of $187,954 to perform the drainage improvements and runway apron expansion. Construction should begin within the next month and be completed 90 days from the start date, Cade said.

The layout plan will cost approximately $30,000 to update what has already been added and what could be added in the near future. Airpark managers would like to see a terminal and additional hangers within the next 5 years, Cade said.

The commissioners also formally accepted $897,300 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds through the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. The mitigation funds will be used to purchase six houses and elevate 11 other flood-prone residential structures in South Point and Proctorville.

The commissioners agreed that it is a tremendous benefit to receive the grant funding for both these projects.

"We (accepted) more than $1 million worth of grants today," said Commissioner Jason Stephens. "… That doesn't happen every week. If it did, it would be nice."

Speaking of grants, the commissioners also applied for a $300,000 Ohio Department of Development grant that would be used to build a railroad spur in The Point industrial park. A potential client could bring as many as 50 jobs.

In other business, the commissioners said they plan to attend the Ohio Department of Transportation's Transportation Review Advisory Council's

Aug. 26 meeting in Chillicothe to continue to push for funding to complete the Chesapeake Bypass, or Tri-State Metro Outerbelt.

Stephens said they need to make sure that the TRAC has phase II of the project evaluated correctly. Currently, it is ranked as number 40 on the draft list for funding.

"This is one of those things that we just have to keep plugging," he said. "Just because they tell us no once, doesn't mean we should quit."