EDA moves to back Charlottesville–Boston route with $15,000 contingent local match

The Albemarle County Economic Development Authority considered a staff proposal to back a Charlottesville–Boston air route by authorizing a letter of support to the U.S. Department of Transportation and by committing up to $15,000 in local matching funds if the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport Authority wins a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant.

EDA staff told the board the $15,000 contribution would be used as a minimum-revenue guarantee to help attract an air carrier and to make the airport’s grant application more competitive. "The staff recommendation is a contribution of $15,000 from the economic development fund contingent on USDOT award," a staff member said during the meeting.

Jason Birch, identified in the meeting as the airport authority’s CEO, urged support and framed the request as part of a larger air‑service development strategy. "One round‑trip segment, annually, is about $21,000,000 of local economic impact," Birch said, adding that Charlottesville already serves tens of thousands of area residents who drive to other airports and that the airport will use local match dollars as a tool to attract carriers.

Board members asked about the short timeline for the USDOT application (staff noted a May 4 deadline), how the grant mechanism works on a reimbursable basis and whether the county’s contribution would be spent immediately or held in escrow if the award is made. The airport CEO said any county match would be placed in escrow and would only be spent if the carrier starts service and revenue guarantees become necessary.

A motion was introduced that would authorize the EDA chair to sign a support letter and to appropriate $15,000 to the airport authority as matching funds if the grant is awarded; the motion was seconded. The meeting transcript does not record a final roll‑call outcome for that motion.

The item had been added to the agenda earlier in the meeting because the USDOT program published a short application window. Staff emphasized that demonstrated local support strengthens competitive applications and signals community demand to airlines. If the airport secures service, staff said the match would be used to provide a revenue guarantee for the carrier during the first 18–24 months of operations.

Next steps noted at the meeting: staff will follow up on the application status and, if the grant is awarded, the authority would formalize any required funding and escrow arrangements.