Budget committee forwards MassDOT Aeronautics grants totaling $27,856.70 for runway drainage work at Lawrence Municipal Airport

The Budget & Finance Committee on June 22 recommended that the full council accept two MassDOT Aeronautics grants to reimburse drainage improvements at Lawrence Municipal Airport.

Airport Manager Francisco Urena explained that item 267‑26 represents $5,409.36 (a 5% match portion) and item 268‑26 represents $22,447.34 (the state 5% match tied to federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding). Urena said both amounts are reimbursement for drainage work that is already invested in the project and requested council authorization to accept the grants and their standard assurances.

Urena summarized standard airport grant assurances the city must accept, including commitments that the grant funds be used only for airport purposes and that the airport remain open for 20 years. "This amount for 5,409 and 36 cents represents 5% of one of two grants that we received from MassDOT Aeronautics," Urena said. He confirmed the airport commission approved the work and that the grant filings require multiple signatures, including the commission and the mayor's office.

Committee members asked whether the council and mayor’s office were being kept informed as grants are processed; Urena said the airport has the required signatures on file and offered to enhance notifications to the mayor’s office as a courtesy. The committee voted on roll call to forward both grants to the full council with favorable recommendations.

The recommendation will appear on the full council agenda; the airport manager said he expects to return on July 7 with any additional documentation the council requests.