Augusta council adopts airport fee schedule changes; staff to implement hangar rate increases

The Augusta City Council voted to approve Resolution 2025-24 on the city fee schedule, adopting a range of changes to fees at the Augusta Municipal Airport and citywide fee items tied to other actions approved during the meeting.

Airport manager Randy and staff presented the fee updates to council, describing a multi-airport comparison and advisory-board review that supported increases designed to move the airport toward operating without taxpayer support. "My goal for the airport has been to be — I'll call it a taxpayer-free airport, meaning the funds are generated by the airport, not through taxpayers," the airport manager said.

Council discussion covered the scale of fee increases, the effect on tenants, and expected revenue. Staff said the changes would generate roughly $25,000 in additional annual revenue and bring the airport closer to a break-even operating position, and noted fuel sales were up about 35% year-over-year this year. The airport advisory board reviewed the proposed schedule and recommended it to council; staff said most tenant leases for T-hangars are month-to-month and historically handled administratively rather than via council action.

Key points: - Effective date and implementation: Staff recommended implementing the new fees beginning Nov. 1 if existing lease terms allow; if lease terms require different timing staff indicated they would implement as permitted by current agreements. - Lease and payment changes: The airport will move to a new month-to-month tee-hangar lease form with tightened language, including provisions about airworthiness of stored aircraft. Staff also plans to require electronic payments rather than checks or cash for hangar rent collection. - Market context and demand: Staff said the region has a shortage of hangar space and the airport had a 17-person waiting list at the time of the meeting; staff did not foresee widescale vacancies because nearby airports are also largely full.

After questions from council about notice and implementation timing, a motion to adopt the fee schedule passed by voice vote. The council instructed staff to follow existing lease provisions when implementing increases for month-to-month tenants and to notify tenants of the schedule and administrative changes.

The fee schedule resolution also included columbarium fees discussed earlier in the meeting; staff said those fees would be incorporated into the city's fee schedule and published ahead of columbarium delivery.