"That looks good," came from the darkened room.

"I like that," said another. As one by one the members of the board praised the redesign efforts of Russell County High School senior Ryan Foster.

The youthful draftsman presented the board with designs he'd made for revitalizing the terminal building at the Russell County Airport.

Ron Bertram, Foster's teacher, said that board member Clete McAninch had asked if there was a student he felt would be good to help them with the plans and he thought immediately of Foster.

"I've drawn a house in class and I did one for Habitat for Humanity," Foster said, adding that this was the first time he'd tackled a commercial building.

Bertram said his student used an old set of floor plans to develop two plans, one with a large addition and major redesign of the building and another that dressed up the existing building and answered some needs the board had mentioned.

Rick Mann said the Federal Aviation Administration has been doling out grant money for remodeling and refitting of smaller Kentucky airports and though they were sure they could get $20,000 for new flooring, paint, windows and doors there was more money out there.

"If we say we'd like to go for this look we could get part of it now and the rest of it later," Mann said.

McAninch said they needed to move quickly though, "Or we could get up there and all the money will gone."

Mann agreed saying the proposal had to be assembled and presented before the first of the year.

The board thanked Foster for his work, and he presented a copy of the digital file to the airport's engineer so a final packet could be put together for the next board meeting.