Airport board urges Rexburg to prepare for larger relocated airport, warns of increased costs

An airport board member told the Rexburg City Council that a planned relocation and expansion of the city's airport will require earlier and larger commitments from the city than previously anticipated, including hiring dedicated staff and higher ongoing maintenance costs.

The airport board member, speaking during public comment, said the city should expect maintenance costs approaching $100,000 each year and that a longer, wider runway will increase operational demands. "You think it's hard to plow a 4,000 foot runway? Try a 6,500 foot runway that's that's wider," the board member said, adding that "a million things" must be considered around snow removal, taxiways and separation.

Why it matters: The airport board framed the relocation as a long-running project — "this has been going on for 40 years," the board member said — and said growth in the community makes it timely. Board members argued that if Rexburg wants the business and economic activity associated with a larger airport, the city must be prepared to invest in staffing, facilities and incentives to attract hangar construction and flight operations.

The board member described options for supporting fixed base operations (FBOs), including city purchase or construction of hangar space. "It is not inconceivable that the city would buy part of a building ... that would have a hangar incorporated into it that would have a pilot's lounge and some office space that could be rented or purchased," he said, noting the current FBO operates a flight school and other services.

Council reaction and questions: Councilwoman Bria Johnson and other council members asked for more details and said the council will be "talking about it a lot more in the next little while." Johnson said the city needs someone who can "bring themself up to speed and interface with all of the parties, the state, the feds, and the community, and pull the engineering firm and all the federal agencies that are involved." The board member said seven federal agencies are involved in the project.

Board members warned of uncertainty for current tenants while relocation plans advance. "We're an airport purgatory right now," the board member said, noting that some hangar builders have opted to build elsewhere while Rexburg's future site is unresolved.

No formal council action was recorded on the relocation during the portion of the meeting covered in the transcript. The airport board member said he had sought written commitments from city and county officials and that he might resign if the board did not receive assurances the project would proceed: "I'm gonna get the commitment from the city that this goes forward as well as the county. I'm gonna get it in writing. And then if not, I'm gonna submit my resignation."

Context and next steps: The speaker characterized the airport relocation as a multigenerational investment that might not pay off immediately: "It may be a future generation or two from now that says, well, they had their long game on." He urged officials to anticipate public criticism shortly after construction when facilities are new but private operators and tenants have not yet built out activity.

The council did not vote on airport funding or relocation at the meeting. Council members said staff and council will continue discussions and that the topic will appear again for further review and possible commitments from the city.