Solution 1: Recruit pilots residing in St. Landry Parish. Select the most experienced and retired one; offer to hire this person as the airport administrator. Ask the remaining pilots to serve on a newly formed airport board (volunteer) With this proven experience in place, parish government will not have a budget problem. A well trained administration staff will handle the billing for aircraft parking. A large sign should be available in the hanger. Park, pay, or fly away.
Solution 2: Ground and hanger maintenance. The new airport administrator should coordinate with the sheriff and request sufficient amount of inmate trusties to form two work crews. One morning crew replaced by an afternoon crew to assist the present part time employees. A good hard working trusty is valuable and this would allow the inmate reason to use his work ethic as grounds for early release from jail.
NOTE: After my retirement from the military I managed the largest truck stop in Lafayette at the intersection of I-10 and University. With the thousands of gallons of fuel pumped daily it was imperative that the fuel tanks were tested for water daily.
NOTE 2: If these solutions were considered and implemented there would be 100 percent assurance the this airport would become a crown jewel of this parish. However, leadership must be considered.
Link Savoie
Retired military
Sunset