Kenny Howard, Fort Scott’s Airport Director for the last 18 years, is retiring.
“I can’t say enough about Kenny’s leadership,” City Manager Dave Martin said at the Chamber of Commerce Coffee Thursday at the airport. “We’re definitely going to miss him.”
Howard will retire December 31 and the city is currently interviewing for the position, Martin said.
Howard told about some of the planned events in his tenure which included clinics and fly-in breakfasts.
There have been increased fuel sales at the airport, since changing fuel vendors, he said.
Last year approximately 77,000 gallons of fuel were sold there, and as of August 2018, approximately 92,000 have been sold thus far, he said.
Agricultural flying operations, corporate flights, medical emergency flights and more recently a request from the parents of some St. Martin’s Academy students for charter flights, are a part of the job.
His additional duties are overseeing the mowing of 190 acres of grass and overseeing the insurance piece for the airport.
He said he was able to drop the premium for the insurance coverage in the last few years.
Two recent grants for improvement were received: a grant that will upgrade the Automated Weather Observation Station, and one for improved runway lights.
Fort Scott Economic Development Director Rachel Pruitt said there is currently a Federal Aviation Administration opportunity for rural airports.
“I submitted an application in August…there is no matching grant required…to expand the runway,” Pruitt said.
“The last six years, the airport has seen 60 percent growth,” she said.
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