Daggett County, Town of Dutch John consider steps to develop Dutch John Airport

Daggett County commissioners and representatives of the Town of Dutch John discussed possible development of the Dutch John Airport and next steps for implementing an existing airport layout plan during a county commission meeting. The meeting included input from Ken (Kent) Campbell, the director of the Vernal Regional Airport, who offered technical advice and help in convening a working group.

The discussion centered on how to move a master plan produced by the airport engineer of record into action. Alan Parker, representing the Town of Dutch John, said he reviewed the county's airport master plan and “liked what I saw,” and urged a short-term approach that would create momentum for incremental improvements such as equipment sharing, basic maintenance and eventually fuel and parking infrastructure.

Why it matters: Dutch John Airport is a county-owned facility located inside the town limits that local officials and outside developers have identified as an asset for tourism and future residential or resort development. County and town leaders said modest investments — for example, fuel service and routine runway maintenance — could increase use, generate revenue and make larger projects more feasible. Participants repeatedly emphasized that funding, ownership questions and FAA requirements remain unresolved.

Commissioners and town representatives discussed three immediate strands of work: (1) convene a small, focused committee that includes county commissioners, a town representative, airport professionals and possible developer stakeholders; (2) inventory and address short-term maintenance needs (brush clearing, crack sealing, security concerns); and (3) pursue funding and engineering review necessary to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Utah Aeronautics grant requirements.

Ken Campbell, Vernal Regional Airport director, described possible regional collaboration and asset-sharing (for example, snow removal equipment and other ground support) and said he was willing to help. “I’m glad to help if I can,” Campbell said, and offered to meet in person when he is next in the area. Campbell also suggested identifying attainable early projects — notably fuel service and improved apron/parking — that would produce modest revenue and increase traffic.

Speakers noted specific hurdles. State aeronautics grants can fund projects but generally require a local match; one example discussed was a hypothetical $500,000 project that still would require about a 10% local match. County staff and commissioners noted the airport is currently unattended, which raises safety and security concerns such as brush on the runway and occasional unauthorized activity. Participants also said developers who have expressed interest have not yet engaged an engineer who can certify that proposed development meets FAA setback and safety standards.

Participants agreed to schedule a working meeting when Campbell and other technical advisers are available to review the existing SIVCO master plan, clarify which entity would carry out projects, and identify realistic funding and phasing. No formal vote was taken to transfer ownership or to create a statutory airport authority; leaders described the next step as an in-person planning meeting to define scope, roles and preliminary funding options.

The discussion also covered potential private-sector steps that could increase airport use: construction of hangars (a participant said a simple, insulated private hangar could be built for a little more than $200,000), pursuit of a fixed-base operator (FBO) or a self-serve fuel dispenser, and staged apron/parking improvements to accommodate visiting aircraft. Officials emphasized the difference between planning for a future ski-resort-driven traffic increase and prioritizing near-term, lower-cost actions that can begin producing benefits.

Ending: Commissioners and town representatives said they would follow up to set the in-person meeting and seek additional technical input from the Vernal airport team and SIVCO. Participants described the meeting as an early, exploratory step rather than a final decision on ownership or funding.