It looks like there is going to be another tenant coming to the Frankfort/Clinton County Regional Airport very soon.
“We were approached about two months ago from representatives of IU Lifeline about potentially looking at the Frankfort/Clinton County Regional Airport as their new home for the West Central region,” said Airport Authority Board President Alan Dunn. “We were tickled to death those discussions have continued unfurl and we now have reached a tentative agreement in principle to be the new home for IU Lifeline.”
Dunn said this was becoming a problem at Purdue Airport because of all the changes going on.
What is expected to happen is that a contract will be signed and approved next month at the November 7 meeting.
“We will have an air ambulance helicopter and a critical care housed here on the property,” said Dunn. “It’s a long term lease. They are going to invest several hundred thousand dollars of their own money to improve the interior of the facility to put crew quarters and meeting facilities in there. So, this is going to be a long term commitment that we think is going to be a real feather in our cap as an airport.”
IU Lifeline’s new home will be the newly-constructed Hangar 2 at the airport.
“They are going to move into the new hangar which was just completed last year and then rent the entire building,” said Dunn. “That will give them enough room for everything they need.”
IU Health Attorney Corey Hall said this new facility will be one of five such facilities in the state and allow them to take care of the West Central region of the state which includes IU Health Frankfort, IU Health in White County, which will include the Monticello area, and IU Health Arnett.
Hall also said he thinks this will be at least a $350,000 investment.
“They’re kind of on an urgent expedited schedule to get moved over here very quickly,” said Dunn. “We hoping to have the documents signed within a week to two weeks and having them moved on here within a month.”
Dunn added this deal will be a tremendous boost in healthcare for the county and the citizens of the area. They are going to be able to have an air ambulance within seconds for anyone who has a critical care need in Clinton County.