Several changes taking place at county airport

Barbara Miller

Observer Reporter

Washington County commissioners this month approved several changes at the county airport.

Earlier in May, the commissioners entered into a lease for about two-thirds of the terminal building plus additional apron space created during a paving project with RSB Aviation LLC, doing business as Skyward Aviation, at $1,523 per month.

The county also entered into a lease agreement with RSB Aviation/Skyward for the fuel farm, with fees based on fuel delivered beginning April 1.

There are two 10,000-gallon tanks at the airport, one for jet fuel and the other for aviation gasoline. For every tanker delivery, the county received a fuel flowage fee of four cents per gallon, which has doubled retroactive to April 1.

Next year, it will be going up to 10 cents per gallon, bringing it into line with area airports, said William McGowen, executive director of Washington County Redevelopment Authority, which manages airport operations for the county.

The county also amended its lease for Skyward Aviation Hangar No. 1 to include additional apron space at a cost of 42 cents per square foot as of April 1 of this year.

The price for 42,650 square feet will reach its maximum in 2025 at $1,493 per month, “and at that point we’ll renew it again,” McGowen said.

“We’re starting at this level and increasing it every year to get it up to 42 cents a square foot,” McGowen said.

RSB Aviation/Skyward also will lease the Aviation Business Center hangar at a rate of $4,500 per month, beginning June 1, not including office space, for five years.

The previous lease was based on a temporary month-to-month fee.

“We’re finishing up some improvements,” McGowen said, such as new lighting, roof repairs and floor repairs.

On Thursday, the redevelopment authority received the commissioners’ approval for L.R. Kimball to complete Federal Aviation Administration and state Bureau of Aviation requirements for the construction of the public safety building at the airport at a cost of $7,500, which will be paid from the impact fee on fracked natural gas wells.