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Council hires consultant for airport clear‑zone plan to preserve grant eligibility
Summary
Council approved paying a city share toward a clear‑zone acquisition plan designed to document control of runway approach areas so Willmar can pursue state airport grants; the consultant proposal was $10,000 with a $3,000 city portion. Bolton and Menk will complete the plan to support MnDOT grant scoring.
The Willmar City Council voted Oct. 3 to retain professional services to complete a clear-zone acquisition plan for the municipal airport, a step city staff said is necessary to maintain competitiveness for state grants.
Eric, the project presenter, told council that the “clear zones” at the ends of the runways must be shown as controlled (either by ownership or by avigation easement) for state grant scoring. He said some right-of-way inside the airport boundary is owned by MnDOT or Kandiyohi County, which prevents the city from showing full ownership of the approach areas. The plan will document these limits and allow the city to request an exemption from MnDOT when preparing grant applications.
City packet materials listed the consultant proposal at $10,000, with a $3,000 city share. Council approved contracting with Bolton and Menk for the professional services; the motion passed by roll call 7–0.
Eric emphasized that control of the clear zones affects MnDOT’s scoring of airport grant applications and that completing the plan improves the city’s chance to secure state funding for future airport projects.
