by James Coulter
Lake Wales Municipal Airport will be receiving new weather-detecting equipment and a new Wildlife Hazard Management Plan now that the Lake Wales City Commission voted unanimously to approve two public transportation grants.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Nov. 4, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve two resolutions authorizing grant agreements from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
The first resolution authorizes a grant to cover 4 percent of a project to create a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan for the airport. The plan, as explained by Airport Director Amanda Lomneck, “outlines strategies to minimize the risks associated with wildlife encounters.”
“It is a proactive approach to managing wildlife populations and their behavior to enhance aviation safety, reduce wildlife strikes, and comply with regulations of the FAA,” Lomneck wrote.
The second resolution authorizes another grant to cover 4 percent to replace the airport’s existing Weather Reporting Equipment (AWOS) and Rotating Beacon.
Both projects will be funded 95 percent by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 4 percent by FDOT, and 1 percent by the City of Lake Wales.
