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Commission approves $5,000/month consulting agreement to grow air service
Summary
The commission approved a proposal from ArcStar Group for air-service development consulting at $5,000 per month to help the Liberal airport optimize routes and marketing; SkyWest and EAS funding were discussed.
The Liberal City Commission voted to accept a monthly consulting proposal from ArcStar Group to support air-service development for the Liberal Regional Airport, city staff said at the June 2 meeting.
Staff described ArcStar as an airline consulting firm with leadership experienced in major carriers. Under the proposal, ArcStar would provide monthly key-performance-indicator reporting, operational recommendations, marketing and media production assistance and other services for a flat fee of $5,000 per month. Staff said the city already receives a marketing allocation through its SkyWest relationship and that ArcStar’s services would be used to maximize the value of those funds and to examine scheduling, market development and route growth opportunities under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program.
Officials said ArcStar comes recommended by other similar communities; staff referenced positive experiences in Hays and another municipal airport that had worked with ArcStar. Commissioners asked whether the agreement is cancellable; staff confirmed the contract is not long-term and can be ended if the city is not satisfied. The commission approved the monthly agreement and a waiver of purchasing policy where applicable. No specific new budget appropriation beyond the monthly fee was adopted in the discussion; staff said a marketing budget with SkyWest already exists for advertising production and that ArcStar would help deploy those dollars more effectively.
Commissioners and staff noted ongoing engagement with federal representatives on EAS protections and described the consulting engagement as a tactical step to improve service quality and market reach.
