Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Grand County Airport Board recommends $1.34 million in airport revenues for 2025 operations
Summary
The Grand County Airport Board voted unanimously to recommend using $1,340,033 in airport-restricted revenues to cover the bulk of the airport—s 2025 operating budget, including payroll, maintenance and required grant matches; the recommendation will go to the county commission for final action.
The Grand County Airport Board on a unanimous voice vote recommended allocating $1,340,033 in airport-restricted revenues to cover much of the airport—s 2025 operating expenses, including payroll, routine maintenance and matching costs for federal grants.
Board members moved and seconded a motion to allow use of the available airport revenue to support the 2025 budget. After a short discussion about the line-item breakdown and project priorities, the chair called the vote. "All in favor? Aye," a board member said; the motion passed unanimously.
The airport presenter summarized the figures that underlie the request: total FAA/AIP grants scheduled for 2025 were listed as $13,951,485, and the presenter said the airport currently has $1,340,033 available in airport revenue accounts. The operations-and-payroll budget line was listed at $981,624. Proposed capital work that would be paid from airport funds includes a water pump, replacement of the old-terminal roof and foundation repairs totaling about $168,000. The presenter also identified roughly $949,149 in required matching costs for 2024 and 2025 projects.
The presenter said the large balance reflects a combination of recent federal relief and grant funding (CARES, CRRSA, ARPA) that the county had used to cover airport operations and which has rolled into airport accounts. She warned that airport-generated revenues are restricted for airport use only and said the Federal Aviation Administration expects a plan if revenues are left unused.
Board members asked for clearer breakout spreadsheets showing which AIP and discretionary grant line items roll up to the $13.95 million total and pressed for more transparent presentation of how the matching amounts are allocated among projects. One member noted a taxiway project overage of $119,542 that the county will front and later recover through federal reimbursement after the grant close-out.
Board members and staff also clarified how Essential Air Service (EAS) payments are processed: the carrier (Contour) invoices monthly, the county pays the invoice and then submits for reimbursement to the Department of Transportation; the presenter said those reimbursements are typically a pass-through and do not require a local match.
The vote taken was a recommendation from the airport board to the county commission to allow the airport to use its restricted revenues to cover the 2025 budgeted operations, maintenance and the listed grant-match obligations. The board did not vote on a detailed prioritization of projects; several members requested a clearer, itemized breakout of AIP and match numbers for future meetings. The board adjourned without going into closed session.
Next steps: the board—s recommendation will be forwarded to the county commission for their consideration and final funding decisions.
