The Quitman Development Corporation (QDC) board heard a presentation by Dr. John Wisdom and Wood County Airport Assistant Manager Erin Mason Monday. The board also approved a budget proposal to present to the city council.

The airport recently received a state grant for $8,000,000 which the airport must match at 10% for a runway extension to allow more planes to be able to land.

Mineola and the county have already made commitments to the project.

Wisdom will be going in front of the Quitman City Council Thursday to seek approval for the city’s 14% share of airport operations, which amounts to about $100,000 toward the grant.

Included in the projections for the airport are more hangar construction, an increase in visitors by 25%, adding another employee and additional fuel sales. Capital improvements will occur for the runway extension project and the construction of two new hangars for the newly-based jets.

“Let’s work together and get creative. We are waiting on a commitment from Quitman,” Wisdom noted. No action was taken by the board.

The board approved a budget proposal to turn into the city council. The budget calls for $308,483. The board added $88,000 for special projects in the proposal.

Dr. Greg Eberhart gave an update on the murals project for Wood County Walls. The artist painting the murals will arrive in September to paint murals on the west side of the Quitman Police Department and on the wall on the east side of Sidekicks Restaurant on the downtown square.