Members of the Lago Vista Airport Advisory Board discussed paused cost‑sharing from the property owners association and the city’s request for a federal FAA Section 185 exemption, and they directed committees to gather documents and prepare reports for council and the POA.

Board members said the Association has suspended maintenance contributions while the city pursues the FAA exemption, and that FAA communications were delayed during a federal government shutdown. The board asked the POA liaison committee to meet with the POA and return a report to city council about posture and next steps.

The board reviewed background materials including the airport action plan (prepared in 2015–16) and a November 27, 2023 letter from the POA explaining why it stood back from contributions while the city sought the Section 185 exemption. Board members repeatedly urged restoration of a transparent accounting approach before a formal funding ask is made to the POA.

Members recounted historical POA contributions cited in the meeting: roughly $18,000 per year from 1999–2009, $20,000 per year from 2009–2019, and roughly $23,400 per year from 2019 until the agreement expired in 2023 or 2024. Board members said those figures were derived from city expense records and recommended that fuel revenue be separated from other airport operating expenses to produce a clearer maintenance cost picture.

The board also took up federal grant assurances required when the city accepts FAA funds. Members noted the packet attached to the meeting materials was dated May 2022 and that a newer packet dated April 2025 includes additional assurances (the board discussed that the count of assurances had grown from the mid‑30s to about 40–41 in recent federal updates). The board asked the Airport Development Committee to review the most recent grant assurances and identify any airport policies or practices that need updating to remain in compliance.

Separately, members pressed the Capital Works Committee and finance subcommittee to revisit a previous business case for building box hangars on city property. The board discussed earlier engineering work and a 2018 plan that contemplated nine box hangars; meeting participants said the hangars previously were estimated to rent at about $600 per month in older figures and that market rates and construction inflation should be rechecked. Board members noted TxDOT has identified capital funding opportunities for runway and taxiway work and that any TxDOT project could affect timing and design of revenue‑producing hangars and taxiway extensions.

On potential TxDOT funding, the board discussed two figures cited in the meeting: a broad reference to a $10 million TxDOT allocation discussed by the mayor, and a previously discussed TxDOT earmark of about $6.6 million that could require a roughly 10% local match (approximately $660,000) if the larger project moves forward in the fiscal year cited. Board members emphasized that precise project scope, timing and local match requirements remain to be confirmed with TxDOT and that committee work should include options for local match sources beyond the POA.

Board members agreed to update the airport action plan, produce a simplified accounting summary for past airport expenses (with fuel revenue separated), have the POA liaison committee meet with the POA, and have the Airport Development Committee review grant assurances for changes such as updated DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) rules. Those items will be returned to city council or to future board meetings when committees report back.

The discussion was framed as preparatory and informational; no regulatory commitments or new contracts were executed at the meeting.