Board approves Port of Walla Walla request for $176,914 from economic development sales-tax funds for airport project

The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a Port of Walla Walla request to expend $176,914 from the port portion of the county’s economic-development sales-tax fund to support the Port’s 315 East Cessna Avenue project at Walla Walla Regional Airport.

Commissioner Todd L. Kimball said he initially noticed a discrepancy in the port’s application math but that the applicant subsequently corrected the figures; the requested county contribution did not change. Commissioners confirmed the $176,914 amount before taking the vote. No commissioner raised substantive objections to the project scope described in the application; the motion passed 3–0.

County staff noted the port will contribute a match to the project; the port’s application in the agenda packet documented the funding split and the corrected math in item 8 of the application. Commissioners said they expect the port to proceed with standard grant reporting and county oversight procedures for funds distributed from the economic development sales-tax allocations.