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Resident asks to buy leased airport-area parcels; council requests deeds and lease review
Summary
Duane Ladd asked the council whether he could acquire lease parcels west of Cut Bank near the airport; council said it needs deeds, lease terms and confirmation of city title before acting and noted airport-authority revenue and open-bid concerns.
Duane Ladd presented maps and a request to acquire parcels of leased land west of Cut Bank, near the airport. Ladd said the land in question is leased (lease term up this year) and that county and city records show varying ownership interests; he asked whether the city would permit him to acquire parcels if the city confirms title.
Council members told Ladd the city must first verify deeds and the lease agreement to ensure no third-party rights (for example, first right of refusal) are in place. Council staff said they needed to review the documentation before any transaction could proceed and asked Ladd to provide deeds and lease paperwork.
During discussion, a council member warned that transferring or selling the parcels could reduce receipts to the airport authority and said airport authority leaders might object; another speaker urged that leases be opened to competitive bidding rather than repeatedly reassigning parcels to single lessees. Council and Ladd agreed staff will follow up and that the item will move forward only after documentation is reviewed.
