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Council reviews airport budget and $150,000 mower proposal tied to $105,000 grant
Summary
During the Sept. 22 workshop staff outlined anticipated airport revenues of $280,500 for 2026, including a $105,000 state grant toward a $150,000 mower; owning the mower could eliminate annual lease costs (up to $18,000) and pay back in about four years, officials said.
City staff reviewed the airport section of the 2026 budget at the Crookston City council workshop on Sept. 22, listing total anticipated revenues of $280,500 and several CIP requests for hangars, runway maintenance and equipment.
On intergovernmental revenue, staff said the airport expects a $105,000 grant toward a $150,000 lawnmower, a 70/30 cost-share that would leave an estimated city share of roughly $45,000. Staff framed the purchase as a cost-savings measure: owning the mower could eliminate annual lease payments that currently range up to $18,000, and “it would be what, fourish years and it would pay for itself,” a staff speaker said.
The workshop also covered routine airport operating lines — hangar rentals, jet fuel charges and rent from farmland the airport leases — and explained anomalies in hanger-rental receipts as timing issues when payments fall in different fiscal years. Staff noted hanger rental demand remains strong and a waiting list exists for new hangars.
On CIP specifics, staff listed a $67,000 building/structure request (comprised of $50,000 for hanger sheeting and $17,000 for water-line work), a $21,000 other-improvements line (crack sealing and new lobby furniture) and $150,000 for other equipment (the mower project tied to the $105,000 grant). Staff agreed to correct a line-item math error councilors found in the packet.
Context and next steps: staff said some upfront professional and grant-related fees (budgeted at $35,000) may be reimbursed by grants. Council asked staff to prepare comparisons of hanger fees with peer airports; staff said the airport commission plans to discuss fees at its October meeting and will report back to council.
No formal action was taken; staff will supply corrected CIP totals and additional fee-comparison data ahead of the Sept. 29 preliminary-levy workshop.
