Council authorizes FAA grant application and approves airline lease changes; airport manager says SkyWest transition will maintain service

The Pocatello City Council approved an application to the FAA Airport Infrastructure Grant Program for $950,000 to design, bid and install replacements and upgrades to the airport access control system and authorized the mayor to sign documents subject to legal review.

Airport Manager Alan Evans told the council that the new application combines design, bidding and installation at the FAA’s request and replaces a prior application that omitted installation. "We thought that we were bringing a separate grant. They requested us to go ahead and put them together," Evans said. He said bids will be solicited once environmental and procurement steps are complete and that the work will be staged to minimize disruption to airport patrons.

In a separate agenda item the council approved termination of a lease with Delta Airlines and adopted a new lease with SkyWest Airlines for terminal space — 1,747 square feet of exclusive use and 9,539 square feet of common space — for two years at $8,702.39 per month plus landing fees and CPI adjustments (maximum 3.5%). Evans said SkyWest will operate CRJ-700 aircraft and that the change should be positive for the airport. "We're gaining another flight and that is through SkyWest... I think this is a very positive move for the airport," he said.

Council members asked about timing and whether service would be interrupted; Evans said the airport has arranged staging to avoid patron impact and that SkyWest has experience serving the community. The votes to approve the FAA grant application and the lease actions were carried by roll call.