Powell council approves RFP for airport rental study to shape infrastructure, grant timeline

The Powell City Council voted Jan. 20 to issue a request for proposals for a rental study of the Powell Airport, a staff presentation said, with the aim of informing whether and how the city should invest in utilities and other infrastructure to support future aeronautical and non‑aeronautical development.

Rebecca (staff member) told the council the study would “evaluate the current assets, so the current box hangers, tee hangers, and airport property,” compare Powell with similar airports in the Mountain West and nationally, and estimate rental rates and site fees for non‑aeronautical land (about 740 acres of the “back 40”). The study was presented as a necessary step to complete a cost‑benefit analysis before major capital spending.

The study timeline and budget matter because the city hopes to pair a rental study with federal and state construction grants. Rebecca said the consultant AMCG — recommended by the planners working on the airport’s 10‑year master plan — estimated about a 10‑week turnaround and a fee near $38,000. Council members discussed funding the study from the city’s economic development fund, which staff said had about $79,247 available under current projections.

Council members and staff discussed grant timing and likely funding partners. Rebecca and others said the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the state business council are potential sources for construction funding; the EDA typically funds 80% of eligible construction in the state and 20% comes from state match. Council members were also told that some grant programs require a public announcement by May 1, 2025, to be considered for an October/November 2025 construction start window, or an August 1 announcement for a schedule that would begin in early 2026.

Council members generally supported issuing an RFP so the city could compare proposals and price. One councilmember noted the master plan has not yet been formally approved by the FAA or council, but others argued the RFP can inform whether planned improvements make economic sense even as the master plan is finalized. A motion to go out for a rental‑study RFP for the Powell Airport passed unanimously.

Next steps: staff will draft an RFP and return with bids for council consideration, and the council indicated it would identify a funding source (economic development fund, general fund, or a hybrid) when the bids are reviewed.

Quotations used in this article come from the meeting transcript of the Powell City Council on Jan. 20, 2025.