Willard Airport Updates

Here's a roundup of government news items on Willard Airport over the last month. First off, last month, the airport was able to secure a federal grant for runway improvements:

Federal grant will fund Willard runway upgrade
University of Illinois Willard Airport hopes to begin work on a runway improvement project next year with the help of a $9.9 million federal grant.

The grant was announced Friday by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The money will be used to reconstruct one of the three runways at Willard.

New pavement, underground wiring and a lighting upgrade will be done on one of the airport's two commercial runways, said Willard Interim Executive Director Tim Bannon.

Full blurb here. WCIA had some additional information in their blurb here.

In the past week there were a couple other updates on Willard. An update on the hiring of a new executive director was in the Just Askin' column in yesterday's News-Gazette:

It should be soon, UI spokeswoman Robin Kaler said.

"Candidates have been interviewed, so we are hopeful to wrap up the search within the next couple of weeks," she said in an email.

The previous executive director, Gene Cossey, left in February to begin a similar job at an airport in northeastern Tennessee...

Since he left, the assistant director of operations since February 2018, Tim Bannon, has been serving as the interim executive director.

Full blurb here. Smile Politely also pointed out that the airport's Master Plan update will be taking public input soon as well. More information will be uploaded to the CMI Master Plan website on that soon. Excerpt:

This Master Plan will define modern design efficiencies to reduce normal day to day costs for the Airport and its users.  The update will also consider additional options to provide passenger amenities and help create new revenue possibilities for Willard.

You can participate in this process by offering your input on plans as they develop. As parts of the plan become available to the public, they will be posted here, and you can find out how to add your comments here — something that may be worth your time if are a frequent traveler through CMI. 

That blurb here. CMI Master Plan website here.