The County’s two airports are eligible for various Federal, State and local grants that are available for airport-related design, planning, construction, and equipment. The period of time during which applications must be submitted for many of these grants is typically very short. In fact, the window of opportunity for submitting an application is often less than the time required to obtain Board approval to submit the application. As a result, the County is missing out on grant opportunities. For example, the County was recently unable to submit an application for two emergency generators that could have been used at Buchanan Field and at Byron Airport to enable administrative offices to remain operational during power failures, because the time period for submitting applications was only two weeks.
In an effort to expand the grant opportunities available to County airports, staff recommends that authority be delegated to the Director of Airports, or his designee, to apply for grants valued at $1,000,000 or less that relate to the design, planning, or construction of airport improvements, or the acquisition of equipment to be used at an airport. Any match-funding required of a grant will be fully funded by the Airport Enterprise Fund. Authority to accept any grants that are awarded will continue to reside with the County’s Board of Supervisors.
If authority to apply for grants valued at $1 million or less is not delegated to the Director of Airports, or his designee, the County’s airports will continue to miss opportunities to apply for grant funds for which they are eligible. The inability to apply for certain grants limits the funding available to improve Buchanan Field Airport and Byron Airport.