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16‑inch bypass water main set to start Aug. 11; county to seek airport board OK for staging on south airport site
Summary
Officials said a 16‑inch bypass water main project will begin Aug. 11 and could use the south airport carnival area for contractor staging; county staff said approval must come from the airport board and raised concerns about trail access and site restoration.
Speaker 5, an unidentified county official, told commissioners that a 16‑inch bypass water main serving the West Bench, the golf course and adjacent areas is scheduled to begin on Aug. 11. "The 16 inch bypass water main ... is going to start on August 11," Speaker 5 said, and added that work will affect White Avenue.
Speaker 5 said the contractor is asking to use the south end of the airport — the area where the carnival was held — as a staging area for equipment and pipe. "…they are wanting to use the area at the, where the carnival was at the south end of the airport as their staging area," Speaker 5 said, and asked whether the airport board would grant permission.
Board members stressed that any use of airport land should be temporary and returned to its prior condition. Speaker 5 relayed internal concerns that if heavy rock or bedding material is left, returning the site to how it was could be difficult: "...Beau's concern was ... he wasn't entirely convinced you can get that back to how it was." The official added conditions that equipment be removed and the site restored.
Speakers also raised public‑access questions because a trail crosses the proposed staging site. "There's also a trail across there, and I don't want the public blowback if that trail isn't available," Speaker 5 said; participants discussed temporarily rerouting the trail while work occurs.
County staff said the matter must come before the airport board for formal approval rather than being decided by the county commission at this session. With the regular airport board meeting not scheduled until Aug. 26, participants discussed a special meeting to consider the request; Speaker 6 proposed holding the special meeting on Aug. 5.
Speaker 5 said they will share a Gantt chart and more detailed schedule with the airport administration and will coordinate with the contractor on staging plans, trail access and site restoration. The official also noted a reference to the MCA code about ceding control of property and said the county commissioners will be asked for input before any final approval by the airport board.
Next steps: staff will circulate the project schedule and bring the staging request to the airport board for a decision, with a special meeting under consideration before the Aug. 11 start date.
