by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
September 11th, 2024
After a sometimes tense discussions regarding the decision to renew the lease with Southwest Texas College’s for a city owned hangar located at Garner Field, the Uvalde City Council voted to approve renewing the 10 year contract with Southwest Texas College as long as specific wording in the contract be contingent on the Federal Aviation Administration approves the school’s aviation program as acceptable per stipulations for the multi-million dollar grant the federal agency provides to the City of Uvalde for Garner Field.
City Council members and several citizens spoke on the matter as well as SWTC’s President Hector Gonzales before the final vote was cast by the Uvalde City Council.
The issue: SWTC’s previous 30 year lease with the City for the hangar is set to expire September 30th of this month. In a previous city council meeting on August 13th the Uvalde City Council tabled the decision which was taken up again at the Tuesday, September 10th meeting. The City of Uvalde just received a 10 million dollar grant from TXDot Aviation to go towards maintaining the City-owned Garner Field Airport.
Uvalde City Councilman Ernest “Chip” King claims that in order to remain qualified for the FAA Grant money, all hangars on Garner Field be used exclusively for aviation purposes. SWTC had used the hanger for the college’s Wildlife Education Program prior to the hanger being repurposed for its aviation mechanics program.
“I want this program to succeed. It’s very difficult. It’s a very difficult decision we’re having up here. We got TxDot Aviation, we’ve got us over here trying to decide, and regulations and grant opportunities and everything mumble jumbled over here. Do we do the right thing for the students? Do we do the right thing for the City? What is the right thing?” Mayor Pro-tem Everardo “Lalo” Zamora said.
Councilman Earnest “Chip” King said. “FAA Order 51,90.6B says you have to have an aeronautical use for the hanger. Classrooms is not an…I’m all for the college. We have a list of people that want hanger space at this airport. We have had people build hangers on this airport because there is no hanger space for them. FAA order 5190.6B in the FAA policy states that if you have anybody that wants a hangar and you have a non-aeronautical use of a hangar or facility on there, you have to move them out and you risk getting the AIP funds. AIP funds come from the federal government.”
King continued stating the city is getting ready to do a 5.2 million dollar ramp project funded by federal government funds with a 10% match. King went on to suggest the college is to get a waiver from the FAA and then rent from month to month.
Southwest Texas College President Hector Gonzales said. “I would believe if you look across to the west side of the airstrip and we’re splitting hairs as to what is aeronautical and what is not because there is several repair shops that are somehow aeronautical because there are several repair shops that are aeronautical but the training for folks that work on those airplanes is not aeronautical. He went on to say other cities in the area have A&P schools and even an airframe school located at their respective airports.”
Gonzales continued saying, “Councilman King you just said the City received 5.2 million dollars in TXDot Aviation. Our aviation maintenance program had been there and it did not jeopardize one penny of the 5.2 million dollars that came to the city. You are getting another $100 tonight that did not jeopardize you are accepting tonight.”
“The problem here is because we make it a problem.” Gonzales said.
King responded to say that if someone called and notified the FAA it could jeopardize the 5.2 million dollars the city has already received.
SWTC Board Member Rojelio Muñoz addressed the council as a former city councilman: “I remember several years back this issue coming up and I suspect that perhaps these concerns have been exaggerated.Because In the several years this was quote, an issue, it hasn’t jeopardize any funding. President Gonzales provided me with a letter sent by the college in February 2022 where they told the college all you need to do is have an FAA approved education program up and running and you’d be good. That happened. The college complied with that.”
