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Airport director reports passenger growth, terminal and runway work and a visitor-pass pilot
Summary
The airport director told the county commissioners that passengers are up about 12% year‑to‑date, terminal Phase 1 is nearly complete, Phase 2 will add a third bag claim and a gate, a major runway rehabilitation is contracted for July 2026, and the airport will pilot a TSA‑vetted visitor-pass program before a public rollout in December.
Rob Rirkowsky, director for Beecher Park International Airport, briefed the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 30 that year‑to‑date passenger figures are up about 12% over last year and the airport expects roughly 560,000 enplanements this year.
"So far, year to date, we're up 12% over last year," Rirkowsky said, and he estimated total throughput at about 1,000,000 people per year when arrivals and departures are combined. He told commissioners Phase 1 of the terminal project is about 98% complete, Phase 2 is roughly 80% finished and includes a third bag claim scheduled to open in January and an additional gate planned for next May.
Rirkowsky said the airport recently signed the contract for a runway rehabilitation project set for July 2026 and that the contractor, LHC, has begun submittals and planning. On law-enforcement coordination, he said the airport and sheriff's office are finalizing an interlocal agreement that aims to be cost neutral for the county: "We intend to pay for all of the expenses that we incur so that there's no... increase to the county," he said.
As a procedural and customer-service change, Rirkowsky described a visitor-pass program that will vet nontraveling visitors through TSA, issue a QR code, and allow screened visitors access to the secure side of the terminal for purposes such as meeting arriving family. The airport plans an internal pilot in the coming weeks and public rollout around Dec. 15.
The board asked about weather contingencies for the runway work and staffing for deputy coverage; Rirkowsky said contingencies are built into planning and that staffing is being coordinated with the sheriff's office.
