Council authorizes staff to draft airport lease after Prius Intelli pitches upgrades

The Eunice City Council on April 13 authorized staff and legal counsel to draft a lease agreement for the municipal airport after a presentation from Prius Intelli.

Josh Vinyard, speaking for Prius Intelli, told the council the company would make facility updates and build a structure on airport property at no cost to the city and asked the council to consider a reduced lease while improvements are underway. Councilor Edward Charo moved to authorize staff to draft the lease; Councilor Gustavo Castaneda seconded the motion, and the roll-call vote was unanimous.

City Manager Shannon Cummins said the authorization directs staff and the city's attorney to prepare lease terms for future council consideration; no lease terms, rent schedule or timeline were approved on April 13. Mayor John Dean Davis thanked the presenter and described the proposal as an economic opportunity for Eunice, saying he has been pursuing business outreach for the city.

Councilors asked about community impacts and staffing implications. Councilor Charo raised questions about how long-term maintenance and ownership would be handled if the company walked away after improvements; Vinyard said the company would return the airport to the city with the upgrades in that scenario. Manager Cummins noted that legal review and insurance considerations would be necessary before a final lease is executed.

The council’s authorization was limited to drafting a lease; any final agreement will return to the council for formal approval.