City to seek FAA funds

Portland will seek reimbursement of funds used to acquire land for the airport runway extension. If approved, that funding will then be available for projects at the facility.

Portland Board of Aviation on Wednesday agreed to submit an application for reimbursement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for more than $114,000 that was spent on the acquisition of land on the west side of the airport property.

Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert explained that when the land was acquired for the runway extension to 5,500 feet from the previous 4,000 — the process began in 2015 — the cost was reimbursed by the FAA for only 34 of the 41.21 acres. That leaves the remainder, a total of about $114,213.03, eligible for reimbursement.

He suggested that the airport apply for the funds to be reimbursed by the FAA via money available through the 2021 federal infrastructure bill, which has about $110,000 allotted annually for the facility over a five-year period. He noted that the process would allow the aviation board more flexibility regarding how the funding is used. (Possible uses discussed were construction of a snow removal equipment building or pavement to allow for future hangar expansion.)

“You can do more projects and/or projects that are not grant eligible,” said Clearwaters.

Board members Faron Parr, Clyde Bray, John Ferguson and Caleb Lutes voted unanimously for Butler, Fairman and Seufert to move forward with preparing the grant application.

Clearwaters noted that Milestone Contractors has handled remaining grading, seeding and other work related to completing the runway extension project. He said he expects to have documents to close out the contract with Milestone at the board’s June meeting.

He added that runway end identification lights at the west end of the runway have been ordered to replace those that were damaged by water. (The cost of the lights will be reimbursed via the FAA grant for the runway extension project.)

Clearwaters also reported that the state’s two-year budget included $26 million in new funding for airport improvements statewide.

“That’s not ever been in a House budget bill in my career,” he said, adding that it’s unclear how the funds will be distributed or if a local match will be required.

The aviation board plans to pursue about $1.1 million in funding for the construction of a new 10-unit T-hangar. (The airport’s hangars are currently full.)

Board members signed a letter and planned to also seek signatures from other local officials in support of the effort. Parr said he would give the letter to State Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle), who represents Jay County, to be hand-delivered.

In other business, the board:

•Held a moment of silence in honor of Mitch Sutton, the former aviation board president who died last week after a battle with cancer.

•Approved the purchase of a hangar door from Coblentz Construction, Geneva, at a cost of $35,400. Airport manager Hal Tavzel had explained to the board that the door is more than 50 years old and is becoming a safety concern.

•Heard the following from Tavzel:

—The airport’s weather station is fixed and operational after more than a year of problems. A new antennae was mounted, with cable connected to the terminal. A phone line was also fixed as part of the process. “As far as the terminal and people getting their information, they’re getting what they need,” he said.

—Sonrise Aviation, of which he is an owner, has completed its 25-foot-by-70-foot hangar addition and plans to break ground on a new 80-foot-by-80-foot hangar next month.

—The entrance on the east side of the airport has been repaired with bollards in place to prevent access to those not authorized in that area.

—The airport sold 4,891 gallons of fuel in April for $23,174.15. That’s down from 5,293 in April 2022.

•Paid claims totaling $2,712.