Video: Tupelo City Council Approves Funding for Airport Repairs

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- The Tupelo City Council approved spending up to half a million dollars to help cover repairs to a damaged runway at Tupelo Regional Airport. By a 5 to 2 vote,  the council approved a motion that caps the amount the city will spend at 500 thousand dollars.

That amount was necessary for the airport to secure an MDOT grant for half a million dollars.  The airport’s largest tenant, Universal Asset Management, is having to park some planes outside of its leased space because the runway UAM uses is in disrepair.

Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton said it’s important to keep the airport infrastructure in good order, but he understands concerns many have expressed over the funding requests.

“We understand that from time to time, requests will be made for financing but at the same time,  we don’t want to have this continuous cycle of do it now or we lose it requests and that’s what we’re trying to stop.”

Several council members asked if the city could fine UAM if it continues to park its planes outside its leased space, once the runway repairs are made.   UAM buys airplanes,  takes them apart and sells the components or recycles them.