Schuylkill County commissioners voted to forgive a $20,056 principal and interest airport authority loan payment at their meeting Thursday.

The vote was unanimous. The payment was due Nov. 1 and was related to the loan the county extended to the Schuylkill County Airport Authority for $400,00 in 2013 for a new hangar at the airport grounds.

Commissioner Gary Hess said after the meeting he believed the airport is an asset to the county.

“It’s an opportunity for expansion up there. It’s good for the economic development of the county,” Hess said.

This is not the first time the commissioners approved forgiveness for the airport. In May, the county approved a budget adjustment of $50,000 after members of the authority requested funding. The $50,000 came from gaming revenue funds, Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said previously.

Bill Willard, airport manager, said before the authority was having “operational budget constraints.” He cited insurance costs that are “more than our operating budget” increasing fuel and electric costs.

In November 2020, commissioners approved a $20,293 principal and interest payment for the hangar. Payments were also made in the past for the monies due for the loan the county guaranteed in 2018 of an extension of the runway, which extended it to 5,101 feet from 4,600.