City plans to purchase Fraser land to expand airport

     The future of the Monticello Regional Airport was further solidified following an action item on the Aug. 21 Monticello City Council meeting agenda.

   The council approved the purchase of additional land adjacent to the airport for future expansion.

   City Administrator Russ Farnum explained that the Rowland Trust Farm (Fraser Farm) is for sale, and the broker approached the city (and the school district) to see if there was interest in purchasing part of the land to benefit the airport.

   City Attorney Doug Herman and Farnum worked together to negotiate the following purchase:

   • About 23 acres north of the creek

   • About 40 acres south of the creek, extending southerly adjacent to the city’s other 10-acre property, and including a 100-foot-wide corridor along Highway 151 south to 190^th Street

   The total amount of land is 63 acres, plus the 100-foot corridor.

   “This provides us with secure access to the landlocked property,” Farnum told the council.

   The net acreage price was negotiated at $11,766.35, with an estimate total purchase price at $737,750. (The actual purchase price will vary, as the city will be paying a per-acre price on the surveyed property. These figures are just estimates.)

   “We were not able to purchase all of the property we wanted to because of a farm field,” Farnum shared.

   The city will pay for the property with an interfund transfer loan. The FAA will reimburse the city for the airport-related land at 99 percent federal reimbursement.

   The city also applied for a $100,000 REAP grant for the 100-foot strip of land to expand city trails. This grant would also provide further reimbursement to the city.

   “If we get the REAP grant,” noted Farnum, “the city’s net cost for this land acquisition will be under $75,000.”

   “So no General Fund funds will be used (for the purchase)?” asked Council member Tom Yeoman.

   “Correct,” verified Farnum. “It’s through (airport) fuel tax and cropland lease to cover the city’s share ($73,775).”

   “With the price of land, this is a pretty good investment,” commented Mayor Dave Goedken.