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Commission allocates $54,000 in leftover airport asphalt to repair county hangar aprons amid budget concerns
Summary
Grand County commissioners voted 4–3 to allocate $54,000 of surplus asphalt from an airport taxiway project to repair failing pavement in front of county‑owned hangars; opponents warned the transfer bypassed capital prioritization and urged a contract documenting repayment terms for the airport loan.
The Grand County Commission voted on June 2 to use roughly $54,000 in leftover asphalt from an FAA taxiway project to repair failing pavement in front of county‑owned hangars at Canyonlands Airport.
Staff explained that a test strip installed for an FAA‑funded reconstruction produced surplus asphalt the county may reassign; staff proposed using that material and the mobilization already on site to fix pavement in front of hangars the county owns and currently rents. Commissioners were told the original $700,000 county loan to the airport remains scheduled to be repaid under the lease terms and that the reallocation would not reduce the repayment obligation.
The proposal prompted a lengthier debate over budget discipline and equity. Commissioner Trish Shaden and others argued that the county is over budget for 2026 and that unbudgeted transfers — even if technically county funds — should be prioritized through the county’s capital list. Supporters said the airport is an economic driver, that the surplus work leverages current mobilization, and that the county benefits from the hangar rents and airport activity.
After discussion, the commission voted 4–3 to approve the pavement repairs. Several commissioners requested the written loan/repayment contract for the original $700,000 arrangement be provided to the commission in the coming month.
Separately, the commission ratified a smaller change order (change order number two) on the Canyonlands Airport project for an additional asphalt item; staff explained the county share on that item and the ratification passed 7–0.
Commissioners asked staff to provide documentation detailing where the funds are recorded in the capital plan and to supply the contract language behind existing lease and repayment arrangements so the commission can track obligations and ensure transparency.
