Airport and aviation stakeholders briefed the City Council on July 10 about active capital projects, airline discussions and tenant leasing, and the council approved buying a replacement Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle to maintain index coverage at the airfield.

Why it matters: The airport’s capital work — runway lighting vault, apron rehabilitation, taxiway projects and terminal restrooms — are tied to expiring grants and to the calendar for upcoming events. Staff also said passenger boardings have grown year over year and that airline route work and state grant programs could affect service levels. The ARFF truck purchase was justified by staff as needed to maintain required crash-cover capabilities for larger aircraft and upcoming events.

Key details: "Right now, just to keep us busy, we have 12 active projects in process," said Ms. Thompson during the council report, listing eight improvement projects and four related to the air races. Airport advisory members and staff noted the airport master plan remains under FAA review pending zoning information and that some projects are staged around seasonal constraints (for example, work scheduled after the fire season). Passenger boarding for May was reported at 5,713, compared with 3,879 the prior year in the same month.

ARFF purchase and rationale: Council approved the purchase of a new ARFF vehicle after airport and fire staff described the condition of the existing 2007 crash truck and the operational risk of lacking a backup. Fire and airport staff said the new truck is larger (a 6x6 chassis) and will preserve operational readiness for higher-index aircraft and for contracted events. The council called the roll and approved the purchase by recorded affirmative votes; no negative votes were recorded.

Airline and tenant notes: Staff said they are negotiating leases and seeking tenant capital investment from Fixed Base Operator operators; the city has been updating lease templates to protect municipal interests. Airport staff also reported outreach to carrier partners and state programs that can provide a “minimum annual guarantee” to reduce airline exposure when adding routes.

Ending: Airport leaders said they will continue project work to meet grant deadlines and provide monthly updates; staff expect to finalize the ARFF procurement and schedule delivery consistent with vendor lead times.