Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Baker Avionics and Lighthouse Academy present economic development requests; board to review and follow up
Summary
Baker Avionics asked for $300,000 for site infrastructure at Grants Pass Airport to build a hangar and training space; Lighthouse Academy requested $117,000 for facility and program upgrades to expand childcare and early-education capacity.
Two local businesses seeking county economic-development support presented proposals to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners.
Baker Avionics, a locally based FAA-certified avionics repair station and Garmin dealer, requested $300,000 to bring infrastructure to a proposed 20-by-100-foot hangar and office site at the Grants Pass Airport. Company representatives said they have invested about $60,000 to date, have grown since 2019 and currently operate across multiple buildings; the new facility would consolidate operations, support larger aircraft, expand manufacturing and formalize a training pathway for avionics technicians. Their packet estimated total project costs at $1.2–1.5 million; the $300,000 request covers site preparation (grading, utilities, ramp, well/septic and FAA/airport requirements) and would be staged against benchmarks. Baker representatives said the hangar would generate about $20,000 per year in county land-lease revenue and that the project supports workforce development and out-of-area customer spending.
Lighthouse Academy, a new childcare center and school serving prenatal through third grade in the Murphy area, requested about $117,000 to support facility upgrades, a playground, greenhouse/garden programming and staffing expansion. The applicant said they have been operating about three months, are leasing-to-own the property and serve families from a wide rural area; about 70% of families were reported to use state ERDC subsidy funding. The center asked that any grant be flexible and said they would accept phased awards.
Finance and commissioners asked procedural questions: whether the economic-development fund has a cap per applicant, whether a request could be phased or reimbursements made as milestones are met (finance recommended reimbursement-based staged funding), and the current fiscal-year fund balance (finance reported roughly $462,000 remaining for the fiscal year). Commissioners invited both applicants to return for follow-up Q&A and site visits and said they would take time to review the packets and supporting materials.
Why it matters: Both applications target job creation and local economic activity—Baker Avionics with skilled technical jobs and aviation infrastructure at the Grants Pass Airport, Lighthouse Academy with childcare capacity that supports workforce participation.
Next steps: Commissioners will review the materials, may request additional financial detail or phased funding plans, schedule site visits and invite applicants back for a subsequent Q&A and decision.
