@indydocumenters @mirrorindy The chairman called the meeting to order promptly at 8 a.m.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy The first item was a whopper. The board launched headlong into real estate acquisition.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy They voted to spend up to $32 million to purchase land around the airport. They've bought 319 acres so far, and 258 acres in the foreseeable future.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy Some of it is for expansion, some to protect current runways, and some is to have and hold.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy Some of it is to accommodate the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency will soon require them to move some facilities across the road.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy The good news is that the FAA will reimburse them for up to 90 percent of the money.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy They’ll update some of the passenger seating. That’s part of a five-year program.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy The board approved purchasing an electric shuttle bus, part of a plan to go all electric with their shuttle bus fleet.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy They'll take an overall look at things like their moving walkways. The walkways run 24/7. When crews come out to close down the walkways for repairs, they only come out at night.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy Most of these capital projects are part of a $2 billion capital improvement program.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy Along those lines, they're trying to hire more staff to manage those construction projects.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy They contract with local consulting/management firms to look after those projects, which is fine, but they would rather have in-house staff.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy They'll upgrade some of the parking, adding parking as well as rehabbing some other. Some of that will be covered with solar panels, which they can do because there is so much grant money floating around right now.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy Those grants will cover much of the costs.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy The airport budget calls for upgrading and replacing some of the baggage handling system, including more and better bomb detection equipment.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy If you're following the money, and you should, here's a brief overview of Indianapolis International Airport's economic impact on Indiana and the Circle City area:

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy IND generates a $7.5 billion total annual economic impact to the state of Indiana – without relying on state or local taxes to fund operations. More than 11,000 people work at the airport each day, and nearly 54,000 jobs statewide have a connection to IND.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy In other words, Indianapolis International Airport is a hole in the sky through which money falls.

@indydocumenters @mirrorindy And with that, the board adjourned its September meeting. They meet the third Friday of each month.