During a special meeting held on Tuesday, April 28, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved matching funds for the Stevens Field Airport runway project.
The project will rehabilitate the runway, including partial reconstruction, and make other improvements.
Airport Manager Chris Torres and Jviation representative Mark Lovato provided information on the runway project and the anticipated costs to the county.
Torres explained that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is providing approximately $5 million toward the runway project this year, with an estimated county match of $131,579.
For 2027, the FAA is providing approximately $7.2 million for the project with an estimated county match of $550,595, Torres noted.
He explained that funds allocated in 2026 will be carried over into 2027 at the matching rate from the FAA, which covers 95 percent of the project and leaves a 2.5 percent match from the state and 2.5 percent match from the county.
“So, they’re giving us more money for less,” Torres said.
In response to a question from Commissioner John Ranson, Lovato explained there are four construction schedules for the project, and that for this year the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), is willing to provide the 2.5 percent match of $131,000, “but they will not change their equation,” meaning CDOT will match whatever rate the FAA goes with.
In 2027, the FAA is moving to a 90 percent match, leaving the state and local match both at 5 percent.
Lovato noted that CDOT will only match 5 percent up to $250,000, meaning the county’s match will be closer to 7 percent next year.
Lovato also explained that the total amount of funding available for the project right now is roughly $13.2 million, “which will essentially give us schedule one,” which is the runway rehabilitation with partial reconstruction and design.
He noted the design is taking place this year, with construction taking place in 2027.
Torres confirmed in an email to The SUN that construction will take place in 2027, and there won’t be a timeline for the airport closure until late 2026 or early 2027.
Lovato explained that schedule two of the project includes the blast pad construction, which totals about $375,000, leaving a 10 percent match of $37,500 for the county because the project has already maxed out CDOT’s matching funds.
Lovato noted it is the same situation with schedule four of the project, which would include lighting improvements on the runway, and totals $1.8 million, leaving the county with a 10 percent match of $180,000.
Commissioner Warren Brown asked about potentially “piecemealing” the remaining project schedules after taking care of the first schedule this year and into 2027, and if that could be done with minimal effect on operations at the airport.
Lovato indicated that the runway would need to be shut down for three of the project schedules, with the possibility of being able to complete the blast pads without interfering with operations.
Brown commented that it sounds as if the county would be better off taking care of everything at once if the funding is available.
Torres then explained that the county also has the option to pursue a loan from the state, but that he has yet to look into the details of that.
“So, that’s another option,” Torres said.
County Attorney Cathleen Giovannini commented that it’s not unheard of for counties to take on loans like that to complete projects.
Commissioner Veronica Medina mentioned that it would be good information for the BoCC to have.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have the information,” she said.
Ranson also mentioned that he spoke with the county’s finance director and that his indication is that the county would transfer funds from the general fund “when the time’s right” to cover this.
County Manager Logninos Gonzalez explained that a potential agreement with the FAA to move funds forward into next year is saving the county roughly $300,000 in matching funds.
“The FAA is trying to help us save money,” Torres said.
Before voting unanimously to approve $131,579 in matching funds in 2026 and $550,595 in 2027, Brown offered another comment.
“The runway is not gonna fix itself,” he said, adding, “The wisest way to approach this with taxpayer money is spending less to get the work done.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
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