Culbertson votes to pursue joint airport with Roosevelt County and establishes airport board
July 20, 2026 | Culbertson, Roosevelt County, Montana
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The Culbertson Town Council voted in February to join Roosevelt County in pursuing a joint airport and approved steps to apply for a preliminary survey grant.
At the Feb. 2 meeting councilmembers moved (Stanley Oelkers, mover; Damm, second) to participate with the County Airport pending approval by the County Commissioners, and to apply for a survey grant with Wenzel & Co. The council designated Robert Traeger as the town’s authorized representative to sign application forms.
The council later formalized its airport governance. Resolution No. 129, adopted in July, established a Culbertson Airport Board with staggered three-year terms and vested the board with authority to plan, operate, maintain and enter into agreements for airport and air navigation facilities jointly with Roosevelt County.
In December the council voted to take an option to purchase 12 acres from landowner Hugo Bruegger to enlarge the airport, setting a maximum purchase price of $125 per acre and authorizing reimbursement to Bruegger for soil-bank payments; the council approved hiring Oscar Olson as an appraiser to support that option.
Why it matters: The council’s actions move the town from discussion to concrete steps — grant-seeking, board formation and a land option — that would embed Culbertson in a joint airport project with county oversight and shared governance. The airport board and land option create obligations and potential capital needs the council will need to track as the project advances.
Council actions and next steps: The minutes record motions to participate in the joint airport, to apply for a survey grant, adoption of Resolution 129 to form the airport board, and the December option-to-purchase motion. Several items (county approval for participation, grant award, final land purchase terms) remain dependent on outside approvals or future council votes.
Attribution: The motions and votes are recorded in the council minutes; councilmembers who moved and seconded motions are credited as recorded in the minutes. The town designated Robert Traeger as the authorized applicant signatory for grant paperwork. The council’s recorded decisions do not include detailed vote tallies.
At the Feb. 2 meeting councilmembers moved (Stanley Oelkers, mover; Damm, second) to participate with the County Airport pending approval by the County Commissioners, and to apply for a survey grant with Wenzel & Co. The council designated Robert Traeger as the town’s authorized representative to sign application forms.
The council later formalized its airport governance. Resolution No. 129, adopted in July, established a Culbertson Airport Board with staggered three-year terms and vested the board with authority to plan, operate, maintain and enter into agreements for airport and air navigation facilities jointly with Roosevelt County.
In December the council voted to take an option to purchase 12 acres from landowner Hugo Bruegger to enlarge the airport, setting a maximum purchase price of $125 per acre and authorizing reimbursement to Bruegger for soil-bank payments; the council approved hiring Oscar Olson as an appraiser to support that option.
Why it matters: The council’s actions move the town from discussion to concrete steps — grant-seeking, board formation and a land option — that would embed Culbertson in a joint airport project with county oversight and shared governance. The airport board and land option create obligations and potential capital needs the council will need to track as the project advances.
Council actions and next steps: The minutes record motions to participate in the joint airport, to apply for a survey grant, adoption of Resolution 129 to form the airport board, and the December option-to-purchase motion. Several items (county approval for participation, grant award, final land purchase terms) remain dependent on outside approvals or future council votes.
Attribution: The motions and votes are recorded in the council minutes; councilmembers who moved and seconded motions are credited as recorded in the minutes. The town designated Robert Traeger as the authorized applicant signatory for grant paperwork. The council’s recorded decisions do not include detailed vote tallies.
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