A decade after the idea was first broached, St. John the Baptist Parish officials plan to unveil an agreement next week that would give the Port of South Louisiana control of the parish airport.

Council members are scheduled to vote on the six-year agreement with the port at a Tuesday night meeting in LaPlace.

If the measure is approved, the port could turn the facility into a cargo airport.

Though parish officials said Thursday the agreement was still being tweaked, St. John spokesman Buddy Boe said the port would become the exclusive operator of the airport, which is in Reserve.

Under the contract, Boe said the parish would still own the property.

Boe said the agreement calls for the port to maintain, operate, market and cover all expenses of the parish airport, which costs the parish about $100,000 to $125,000 a year to maintain.

The parish makes about $40,000 in fuel sales a year at the airport, but the sales are not enough to cover operation costs.

If the agreement, which would last until 2015, is approved by the council, the port will take care of all the general operating costs at the airport. The agreement will have to be approved every year after 2015, Boe said.