Saratoga County committee accepts four FAA airport improvement grants totaling $748,307

The Saratoga County Airport Committee voted to accept four Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants totaling $748,307, with a combined county match of $18,710, and authorized the chairman to sign the grants once they are received.

Mr. Cook, a staff member who presented the items, said the FAA informs the county late in its fiscal year and the approvals are needed in advance so the county can secure funding. "We will receive the grants that I'm gonna present to you today," he said.

The grants and county matches are: $296,843 (county share $7,422) for a portion of the new terminal; $172,975 (county share $4,325) for professional services to update an obstruction study around the airport; $233,394 (county share $5,835) for professional services to design reconstruction of the main runway listed in the record as "Runway 523"; and $45,095 (county share $1,128) to cover consultant services tied to acquiring an easement over a runway protection area formerly pursued as a property purchase.

Mr. Cook told the committee no budget amendment is required for any of the grants because the projects are included in the county's capital plans. The committee approved each grant by separate motions. The obstruction-study motion was moved by Mister Paige; the runway-design motion was moved by Mister Moose; the easement-related grant motion was moved by Steve Anderson. Other motions were made and carried as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Discussion included clarification of the obstruction study's scope. Mr. Cook explained the study will examine not only the runway protection zone but also the three-dimensional air‑surfaces that determine approach and departure clearances and the elevations of trees or structures that intersect those surfaces.

The easement-related grant reimburses consultant costs tied to securing an easement over property identified in the record as owned by the Cesar Brothers; the consultant previously working on property acquisition was named McFarlane Johnson. The committee recorded that an easement—rather than a purchase—was obtained after the owner declined to sell.

Next steps are administrative: once the FAA transmits the formal grant documents the chairman is authorized to sign them and the county will proceed with the planned work under the terms of each grant.