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Committee approves airport and infrastructure grants, records match adjustments that return funds to Build Kansas Fund
Summary
The advisory committee approved several airport infrastructure and terminal grants — including Hays, Salina, Rooks County and Hill City — and accepted amendments that reduced BKF match needs for several applicants, returning amounts to the Build Kansas Fund general account.
TOPEKA — Committee members approved a slate of airport infrastructure and terminal program applications and accepted amendments reducing some required matching amounts, with the resulting differences returned to the Build Kansas Fund general fund.
The City of Hays sought $65,302 from BKF for phase‑2 runway rehabilitation; the steering committee had recommended the application and the advisory committee approved it without objection. "We'll start with our first application that you have, which is the for the city of Hays," the presenter said before the committee approved the item.
The City of Salina requested $288,800 for terminal modernization (phase 2). Senators asked whether the office evaluates local airports' operating revenues before awarding funds; one lawmaker said hangar revenues can materially affect an airport’s capacity to contribute local match. Wesner replied that a 5% applicant match contribution policy has been in place since July 2025 and that staff had not performed a detailed profitability review of each airport.
The committee also approved Rooks County’s taxi lane extension and box hangars (transcript lists the BKF request as $2,831) and Hill City’s runway lighting and regrading request ($22,150 BKF request); all were recommended by the steering committee and approved by the advisory committee.
Later in the meeting Wesner presented amendments reflecting federal award adjustments that reduced BKF match obligations for several projects, including Concordia, Leavenworth County, Kearny County, Valley Falls, Eureka and Great Bend. Wesner said the differences "have already been reconfigured and put back into the general fund." That reconciliation, he said, accounts for figures previously cited as unobligated BKF amounts.
Committee members approved the minutes and adjourned; staff said it would return in June with further updates on prioritization and the remaining applications.
