Leftover federal grant money awarded to the Vicksburg Municipal Airport might be used to spruce up the entrance and parking lot at the U.S. 61 South facility.

Airport manager Curt Follmer told the airport advisory board Thursday he would like to see the $53,000 awarded by Delta Regional Authority in 2008 used for paving.

“It looks like it’s feasible. I’ve requested a change of scope from DRA,” Follmer said.

“It looks like with the money we have, we can do that,” he said. Follmer said he has no cost.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen would have to approve the change of scope and authorize the city clerk to advertise for sealed bids for the paving project.

The leftover funds initially were allocated for painting of the T-hangars, but that was nixed bids for painting services came in at about three times over the available funds, Follmer said.

“That particular progression was not what we wanted to do,” he said.

The original grant award was $327,366 and was used for clearing trees and brush along the north side of the airport’s 5,000-foot runway.

In other business, Follmer said fuel sales are up about 45 percent. Sales from the beginning of the fiscal year, Oct. 1, through March, he said, were $33,145, up from $22,801 the same period last year. Total sales for fiscal year 2010 were $55,462.

The airport sells aviation gas and jet fuel.

In October, the VMA was awarded a $338,024 multi-modal grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to install a new fuel farm that meets new environmental standards.

Sealed bids for the fuel farm construction were approved for advertisement in December.