Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Airport Commission eyes $8 million runway replacement, seeks grants; litigation and wildlife hazards remain concerns
Summary
Airport Commission Chairman Joel Branwein reported completion of a master plan, a likely FAA-funded runway replacement in spring 2026 (estimated $8 million with 95% FAA share), AWOS installation, a pending wildlife hazard assessment and an unresolved two‑year easement lawsuit; fencing and deer control are priorities.
Joel Branwein, chairman of the Airport Commission, told the Select Board the commission has finished a master plan intended to guide airport projects for the next 10–15 years and has positioned the runway-replacement project for spring 2026. He said the commission expects grant approval that will make the project roughly 95% FAA-funded, with MassDOT and local shares of about 2.5% each; Branwein said the runway project’s estimated cost is in the neighborhood of $8 million.
Branwein reported the installation of an AWOS weather station paid in large part by MassDOT, upgrades to security-camera servers funded by MassDOT at 100%, and an upcoming wildlife hazard assessment to identify species and recommend fencing and other mitigation. He said deer have been a recurring hazard on the airfield; the commission has used a certified hunter and is examining fencing upgrades to keep wildlife off operational surfaces.
He also reported an ongoing easement lawsuit in Norton that he described as lingering for two years with limited progress and said the commission had planted about $12,000 of Arborvitae as a goodwill step with a Norton neighbor following mandated tree clearing. Branwein said the commission is financially sound, that runway/taxiway and lighting replacement is part of the grant scope, and that grant application deadlines require submission by the end of May to secure a 2026 construction slot.
Why it matters: A runway replacement and lighting upgrade are major capital projects that affect safety, grant funding and town capital planning. The commission’s litigation and wildlife-hazard issues could affect schedules and costs; the Select Board did not take an action at the April 16 meeting but asked for future presentations of the master plan.
