Maintenance crew readies Sandpoint and Priest River airports for winter; fence and wildlife incursions noted

Dale Lockwood, Sandpoint Airport maintenance manager, told the advisory board the crew completed final milling and asphalt repairs and is preparing equipment for winter operations. "We got the final milling done... Got some asphalt or patch repair done, and we're prepping equipment for winter operations right now," Lockwood said.

Lockwood described a recurring problem at Priest River, where trees near the perimeter have damaged fence sections and a temporary gate was left open during recent construction activity, allowing deer onto the airfield. He said the top foot of the fence was discovered damaged and will be repaired; staff emphasized the need to close temporary gates to prevent animal incursions and unauthorized access.

The maintenance manager also reported upgrades to the pilot lounge and that a new part-time hire, William Harpel, has been added to the crew to help with snow removal. Lockwood stressed safety concerns for ground crews and pilots, citing risks from heavy equipment, welding/fabrication work and helicopter rotor blades.

Board members asked whether the damaged fence would be repaired and whether paved alternate access (Highway 57A) should be pursued to provide redundancy in winter when gate mechanisms fail. Lockwood said paving the short stretch to the taxiway would make an important alternate route and could be pursued next year.

Ending: Staff will repair the Priest River fence, integrate the new part-time hire into winter operations and continue work on access options and pavement repairs.