Carla Clark | For The Republic J Apple Muncy, at left, describes the software to Eric Anderson during the Maker Fair held at the Columbus Propeller makerspace, Saturday, March 26, 2022.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Columbus Municipal Airport has granted a local makerspace’s request to fund a facility improvement, but not every official was on board with the appropriation.
The Columbus Board of Aviation Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve the use of up to $20,000 to replace an HVAC system at Columbus Propeller and seek to reimburse the expense using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The measure was approved 4-1, with Commissioner Doug Van Klompenburg voting against it.
Columbus Propeller has been described as a space for both makers and entrepreneurs. It is located in two buildings that are owned by the airport and were previously occupied by Cummins, Inc, which had used the space for testing engines. The facility, which is still under development, offers 3D printers, woodworking equipment, metalworking equipment and an electronics lab. It has also hosted networking events.
Propeller marked its grand opening with a ribbon cutting and “maker fair” on March 26.
The facility has gone through a number of changes since the initial open house in October of 2021, Chamber President Cindy Frey said earlier. The upgrades included “reworking” the HVAC system, extensive concrete work, Wi-Fi installation, installing door controls that can be accessed through an app, new doors and windows, installing both new and donated equipment, and ensuring fire safety systems were working.
She added that Propeller will “always be a work in progress” that responds to the interests of its stakeholders, but most of the major items seemed to be finished.
Airport Director Brian Payne, who hosted one of the tables at the maker fair, wrote in his monthly aviation board report that Propeller has spent a little over $180,000 on upgrades to the two buildings over the past year, and the group found out shortly after its opening day that a 20-ton HVAC unit needed to be replaced.
“Funds in hand at Propeller are concerning,” wrote Payne. “I do not know how long they can continue to invest into the building and survive financially. They really need to be investing into equipment needed as well. There are opportunities with ARPA funds to get reimbursed for HVAC, and we have not used those funds yet as nothing else we currently need aligns with ARPA funding.”
“Things are happening in the right direction, it’s just, it seems to be financial blows after financial blows, and these aren’t small ones,” he told the board.
Payne said Propeller is looking at its options. One possibility is replacing the “oversized” unit with something smaller and putting ductwork into additional rooms to avoid using electric heat, which has turned out to be extremely expensive. He added that given the long lead times with equipment, the aviation board should try to make a decision sooner as opposed to later.
The $20,000 approved by the board should cover the cost of the HVAC unit, said Payne. However, Propeller will cover any additional costs, such as piping, that exceed this amount. He added the airport has the funds to pay for the project if their request for ARPA reimbursement is denied.
Van Klompenburg opposed the motion. The commissioner has said in the past that he didn’t want to spend airport funds on improvements for the makerspace, which he does not believe to be the best use of the property given its proximity to the flight line and terminal. He reiterated these opinions on Tuesday.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
