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Airport board backs transfer of expiring FAA funds and weighs day-only runway repairs
Summary
The Granite County Airport Board recommended transferring expiring FAA earmarked funds to Ravalli County with conditions and debated pursuing FAA runway funding that would allow a daytime-only runway (no mandated night lighting). The board also confirmed the runway has failed and discussed repair options and management for Drummond Airport.
The Granite County Airport Board voted to transfer expiring FAA earmarks to Ravalli County while adding a repayment condition and an exception if FAA funding for daytime-only operations proved unavailable. Chair Grassy said the motion reflected a desire to preserve expiring federal dollars for regional use rather than let them lapse.
Board members told the county commission that recent engineering work shows the runway at Berry Field has failed and will require a substantial rebuild. "The runway's failed," an airport board member said, pressing the urgency of repairs and choices about whether to pursue federal Airport Improvement Program funds.
Why it matters: FAA grants often carry "grant assurances" that can include requirements tied to lighting and hours of operation. Several board members said they would support FAA funding only if it could be secured without strings obligating the county to reinstate or maintain night operations and associated lighting.
What the board decided and why: After public engineering and funding discussion, the airport board moved, seconded and approved a recommendation to sign a customary reciprocal agreement to transfer a small expiring FAA allocation (about $24,494) to Ravalli County on the condition Ravalli repay the county by Dec. 31, 2028 — with an explicit carve-out that the $24,494 need not be repaid if FAA daytime-only funding proved unavailable. The motion passed by voice vote.
Board members discussed alternatives to full asphalt reconstruction, including a graded dirt airstrip for daytime-only operations and the fiscal trade-offs of removing runway lighting to avoid FAA "strings." Consultant Lance Bowser, representing Robert Peccia & Associates, advised caution and asked the board to consider stipulations that the funds not be repaid if FAA funding for a daytime-only configuration is not available.
The airport board also voted to offer the Drummond Airport manager position to a local candidate and asked commissioners to authorize outreach to the prospective appointee. The board signaled it will continue to pursue options for funding the runway — balancing safety, long-term maintenance costs, and liability tied to advertising night operations.
Next steps: The county commission will receive the airport board's recommendation on the fund transfer and the board expects another FAA response in writing clarifying whether daytime-only runway funding can be provided without lighting requirements. The airport board said it will pursue engineering follow-ups and present a clearer cost estimate when available.
