Rio Blanco commissioners approve funding gap to move forward with Meeker airport GA ramp replacement

The Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners voted May 20 to cover a $459,097.39 funding shortfall so the Meeker Airport general aviation (GA) ramp replacement can proceed in 2025.

County staff told the board the total project estimate is $3,459,097.39, while the county had budgeted $3,000,000 for the work. The board approved using county Local Airport Capital Transfer Funds (LATCF) to cover the shortfall. Commissioner roll call recorded Overton, O'Hearn and Scratchfield voting in favor; the motion passed.

County staff said the project as bid includes portions that are not eligible for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding. About $780,000 of the project is “exclusive-use” apron — the 50-foot area directly in front of privately owned hangars — that FAA will not fund because the surfaces serve private hangars on leased ground. Staff said roughly $2.7 million of the project is FAA-eligible; the county currently has about $1.9 million in FAA entitlements earmarked for this airport. The county therefore faces a remaining local share of roughly $800,000 on the FAA-eligible portion; after the board’s vote the county will use LATCF to cover the immediate gap rather than delaying the work.

The board discussed alternatives including postponing construction to 2026, rebidding, or paying and then repaying the county from future FAA entitlements. Commissioners expressed concern that construction costs have not fallen since the COVID-era escalation and that delaying could increase the price. Staff and the FAA will continue discussions on contingency funding and whether FAA will participate in potential contingency overruns.

Staff also outlined related site work: grading and drainage deficiencies are a key reason the airport project is a full replacement rather than a mill-and-overlay. Commissioners and staff discussed the planned fuel-farm installation (a separate element on the field) and agreed the two projects can proceed on separate schedules; removing existing fuel tanks will require local coordination so newly paved areas are not damaged and avoid redoing work twice.

Commissioners asked staff to pursue longer-term steps to reduce future local funding pressure on airport projects, including stricter collection of hangar ground-lease revenue and standardizing lease terms so lease proceeds can be steadier sources of capital funding.

The board also approved a related Federal Aviation Administration transfer agreement to consolidate entitlements for the Meeker GA ramp project and an authorizing motion to proceed with contracting. Staff said the immediate LATCF draw will be about $459,097.01 and that multiple other county capital needs (including two bridge projects) may be scheduled later or reallocated if needed.

Why it matters: The ramp serves small aircraft and airport tenants; county funding choices affect timing of other planned airport maintenance and capital projects. The board majority opted to proceed now rather than delay and risk higher construction costs or further deterioration of the apron.

Speakers quoted in this story come from the meeting transcript: Eric (county airport/project staff), Commissioner Overton, Commissioner Scratchfield, Commissioner O'Hearn, and county staff members Lisa and Vicky.