Daggett County, Dutch John officials agree to form committee to pursue Dutch John Airport improvements

Daggett County commissioners met with representatives from the Town of Dutch John and Vernal Airport leadership to discuss advancing development of the Dutch John Airport, with participants agreeing to assemble a small committee to review the existing airport master plan and scope initial improvements.

The mayor of Dutch John told the commission the town and county both stand to benefit from developing the airport and proposed forming an airport board to take responsibility for implementing the layout plan. "I'd like to have an airport board that would be responsible for the Dutch John Airport," the mayor said, urging a practical approach to get momentum on near-term projects.

The committee-level discussion focused on three immediate questions: what the county and town want the airport to become, who will run or manage it, and how much the community can afford. Ken McCampbell, identified in the meeting as a Vernal-area airport director, recommended starting with achievable steps and shared resources rather than immediate large-scale investment. "Let's solve all that with an interlocal agreement signed by the commission and the cities that are appropriate or the appropriate members and move forward," McCampbell said, urging coordination across nearby municipal airports.

Participants singled out several early priorities. Installing a fuel service (self‑serve or a fixed-base operator) was described as the most likely near-term revenue source to attract more flights and support further investment. Commissioners also raised maintenance needs — brush control, crack-seal and sealcoat, runway parking and site security — and discussed the need for an attended field or an arrangement to ensure basic oversight.

Commissioners flagged financing constraints: airport grants from the state or UDOT Aeronautics may be available, but small towns often face difficulty funding the required local match and ongoing operating costs. One county commissioner suggested simple data collection (a camera or traffic counter) to measure aircraft arrivals and overnight stays over a year before committing to major changes.

The commission and the town also discussed developer interest in combining airport access with housing and hangar development. Commissioners cautioned that developers need FAA-compliant engineering work and clarified that any land-use or proximity questions must be resolved with appropriate engineers and the aeronautics division.

Next steps agreed at the meeting include scheduling a first working meeting tied to Ken McCampbell's availability, bringing SIVCO's updated Dutch John airport layout plan and reviewing the county's engineer-of-record arrangements. Commissioners emphasized beginning with a short list of fundable actions — fuel service, basic maintenance and parking — and then phasing larger investments if demand and financing allow.

The county did not take any formal binding vote on development direction at the meeting; commissioners and town representatives left the session with a plan to convene a small group of local officials, aviation experts and town representatives to make specific recommendations and report back.