Commission OKs grants coordinator hire; financials show tight year‑end outlook; staff briefs lawmakers’ activity

At its May 14 meeting the Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission approved creation/filling of a grants coordinator position, received the department’s monthly financial report, and heard a legislative and federal update on bills and funding relevant to aerospace activity.

The commission voted to add a grants coordinator to support grant management and drawdown activity. Director Grayson Artes told commissioners that the department had exceeded FY2024 pay requests and draws in the first six months of FY2025 and that grant activity has grown, citing a recent month in which staff handled $11,000,070 in draws. Artes recommended filling the position to maintain continuity and support continued grant activity; the motion to approve the hire passed on a roll call vote.

Financial snapshot Chris (finance staff) reported that as of April 30 the department’s ending cash balance was about $30 million with encumbrances of about $26 million, leaving an unencumbered cash balance just under $4 million. Estimated statutory revenue for the remainder of FY2025 was approximately $3.5 million and outstanding reimbursements owed to the agency were roughly $4.6 million. He said total remaining authorized expenditures that could be incurred this fiscal year were about $16.1 million, mostly airport construction projects programmed in the ACP. If all projected expenditures happened as currently programmed, Chris said the agency could show a notional available cash balance after encumbrances and expected income of negative $4.1 million — a scenario he said was unlikely but illustrative of the tight cash position.

Chris reported revenue collection for March and April and noted that fiscal‑year‑to‑date revenue totaled about $12.1 million compared to $8.9 million in the prior year, a roughly 35% increase year over year. He also said aircraft registration fees and other collections remain above the three‑year average.

Legislative and federal updates Grayson Artes reviewed state bills and congressional activity affecting the agency, noting several bills that became law (for example Senate Bill 920 and Senate Bill 730 were referenced as enacted without the governor's signature) and others that did not move forward. He said the UASAM bill (Senate Bill 920) moved to the governor and an engine test cell program (Senate Bill 135) became law without the governor's signature. Artes also mentioned an engineer tax credit bill (Senate Bill 287) and that some measures had fiscal committee actions pending or would be worked in conference. On federal matters he said the Monroney Center organizational changes were under watch by state leaders and that congressional earmark and appropriations cycles were beginning.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about staffing and position duties. Commissioner Jim Putnam asked whether the grants coordinator would be in addition to existing duties; staff said the new role is meant to support and supplement existing grant administration for Michelle and the grants team.

Provenance: The items were presented as agenda items 4 (position approval), 5 (financial report) and 6 (legislative/congressional update) and discussed on the record by Director Grayson Artes and finance staff Chris.