Jun. 19—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County Commission unanimously approved releasing funds for a $275,000 loan to Jamestown Regional Airport to use as a local match for Federal Aviation Administration discretionary grants.
The funds will be taken from the county's revolving loan fund.
Airport Director Katie Hemmer told the county commission on Tuesday, June 18, that the $275,000 loan is needed for the local match to about $5.5 million in FAA discretionary grants. The grants are for the main runway rehabilitation, airfield electrical replacement and concrete repair projects. The local share of the projects is 5%.
The $275,000 loan will be paid back $27,500 annually over the next 10 years from an existing levy for the airport. The county commission approved the increase to the existing levy for the airport in 2023, said Mark Klose, commission chair.
The county commission had previously approved the loan in 2023 and releasing the funds was a formality, Klose said.
The runway rehabilitation project was primarily a mill and overlay project. The project also included crack and joint repair in the concrete.
After the pavement on the runway cures for 30 days, it will be grooved and get a final paint job.
The airfield electrical project includes replacing every light and sign on the airfield and upgrading and changing them to LED fixtures. The project also includes getting all new electrical wires and regulators.
A concrete repair project happened across a ramp and other areas that needed repair.
Hemmer said Jamestown Regional Airport typically receives a 90% federal grant through the federal Airport Improvement Program. Because the airport has over 10,000 paid passenger boardings every year, it qualifies for $1 million in entitlement funds from the Airport Improvement Program.
Hemmer said the $1 million in entitlement funds requires a 5% local match, or $50,000.
When the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law went into effect in 2023, Hemmer said the airport was granted another $1 million per year for five years. She said the county commission stepped up and provided the 5% local match, or $50,000 per year over five years.
PJ Ringdahl, administrative manager of Ringdahl EMS, requested a funding increase from Stutsman County to Jamestown Area Ambulance's 2025 budget.
Ringdahl EMS owns Jamestown Area Ambulance.
Jamestown Area Ambulance requested $19,951 for 2025, an increase of $1,305.
The county commission took no action on the request.
Ringdahl said Ringdahl EMS is seeing a 7% to 8% increase in equipment supplies. She also said Ringdahl EMS has not seen an increase in its reimbursements from insurance companies for more than a decade.
Ringdahl said Jamestown Area Ambulance had more than 2,400 calls for service in 2023.
The county commission unanimously approved using the appraised value to purchase land by a bridge southwest of Ypsilanti along 44th Street Southeast.
Stutsman County is seeking to purchase the land for future bridge projects and repairs.
The bridge southwest of Ypsilanti will be replaced with a new structure which is expected to be wider, said Jim Wentland, road superintendent.
He said the Ypsilanti bridge project can be bid out on Dec. 13.
In a letter to the county commission and Interstate Engineering, Tyler Perleberg, director of tax equalization, wrote that the market value of the property is $6,500 per acre.
In other business, the county commission unanimously approved:
* a quote from McGruder Construction for $20,000 for a 25-by-100-foot concrete slab for the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office's new storage building located near the existing Stutsman County Park Board shop. The concrete slab will help with water drainage.
* the appointment of Brianne Huber to the Central Valley Health District Board of Health for an unexpired term that ends June 30, 2027.
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