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Airport wins committee approval to streamline receipt of state grants
Summary
City committee approved a board bill to let the airport more quickly accept state grant offers for operational and capital work; airport officials said the change will allow faster marketing and project work that previously waited months for legislative approval.
The Transportation and Commerce Committee voted to pass out a measure that lets Lambert-St. Louis International Airport accept state grant awards more quickly, airport officials said, removing a routine two- to three-month legislative delay that has slowed use of some state funds.
Antonio Strong, deputy director of finance and administration at the airport, told the committee the ordinance would formalize a streamlined process for accepting various state grants, including awards from the Missouri Department of Transportation Aviation Trust Fund and other state agencies. "Currently, when we receive a grant offer, we always have to draft an individual board bill or ordinance and present it for your approval," Strong said. He described a recent $600,000 to $700,000 aviation-fuel-tax-funded marketing grant that moved through the approval process for three to four months before the airport could begin the marketing program.
Why it matters: State grants commonly fund airport marketing, infrastructure projects and other programs. Strong told the committee the change will allow the airport to receive and use funds more quickly and cited the example marketing grant as one where earlier access would have improved timeliness.
Committee action: The committee unanimously passed board bill 17 out with a due-pass recommendation. Committee members asked airport staff to commit to routine notifications when state grants are accepted and to provide details about each grant's purpose; Strong said the airport would do so and had already committed to keeping the committee informed.
Ending: The committee advanced the bill and asked the airport to maintain transparency on grants and any conditions attached to them as the airport proceeds with a potential consolidated terminal and other projects.
