The airport authority authorized its president to execute a memorandum of understanding with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to coordinate planning of a proposed customs facility at the airport.

Sam (airport director) told the board the MOU is a formality that will allow airport staff and CBP to coordinate on design, floor layout and administrative roles without obligating either party to construction funding. “It’s more of formality so that we can officially work with them on this process,” Sam said during the meeting. Legal counsel, David, reviewed the draft; board members asked for a short review window before final signatures if possible.

Board members also discussed a potential joint public announcement on Oct. 29, to coincide with a City of Zionsville event hosted at the airport. Sam said the message would clarify that a design process is underway and that no final facility design or funding agreement has been approved. Board member Bill Bier emphasized that any public event should feature the county’s elected leaders prominently, saying the announcement should not appear to be a city-only event.

Why this matters: A customs facility could enable international arrivals and cross-border operations and would require coordination with CBP for layout, security and staffing. The MOU begins the formal design-and-review process but does not commit county or city funds for construction.

Details and next steps

- Scope: The MOU will allow CBP and the airport to collaborate on floor plans, single- and two-story layout options and coordination meetings to reach CBP approval for the floor layout prior to final construction documents.
- Funding: Sam said no final funding decisions have been made; officials discussed seeking contributions from counties and cities on both sides of the county line. Separately, staff later noted a $500,000 allocation in the county’s proposed 2026 budget from the innkeepers tax earmarked for the customs office (staff said that amount is included in the draft county budget and will be subject to final adoption).
- Public announcement: Staff proposed Oct. 29 as a tentative date for a joint announcement, coordinated with Zionsville and other elected officials; the board requested language ensuring the announcement clearly lists county and council leaders if it proceeds.

Design coordination

Wilpert (engineer) said CBP requires an approved floor plan before moving to final construction documents; the engineering team submitted schematic options with both one-floor and two-floor layouts so the project can adapt to CBP’s space requirements. The board approved moving forward with the MOU and directed staff to circulate the agreement for signatures.

Outcome

The board voted to authorize the president to sign the MOU with CBP, subject to a short final review. Staff said they will send the agreement to board members after the meeting and will coordinate a joint announcement only after confirming funding commitments and final language for the public release.