BILLINGS - The Billings City Council is considering potentially forming an airport authority.
It’s a type of governance many use across the country and even in Montana use to run airports.
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Jeff Roach, director of aviation and transit for the city of Billings, talked with the City Council about the possibility at a work session on Monday night.
There's a number of advantages, including efficiency and improvements for business.
Billings Logan International Airport is overseen by the city administrator, to whom Roach reports.
If the city were to change, a board of at least five people would form the airport authority.
“An airport authority is an entity that's independent, that's set up to oversee and operate an airport,” said Roach.
Roach says the current setup has advantages with government contracts and purchasing and better access to some grants.
He says an airport authority would be more responsive to industry changes and better with business relationships.
“The airport can influence air carriers to come,” Roach said. “It's not entirely across the board, but certainly there are benefits under an airport authority structure for airlines and other commercial businesses to operate at the airport.”
Roach says the biggest airports in Montana operate with an airport authority.
That structure could change his position.
“The airport director or the CEO of the airport authority answers to an appointed board,” Roach said. “So it operates very much like a corporation. It is still a quasi-public entity.”
The City Council had comments and questions for Roach during the Monday meeting.
“Do you have any major red flags that would necessitate us being more cautious?” Council member Jennifer Owen asked.
“I do not,” Roach answered.
“I'm with Councilwoman Owen and and Councilman (Ed) Gulick,” said Councilman Scott Aspenlieder. “I would do this tomorrow. I don't think we need to slow step this.”
Roach says 40 percent of airports nationwide operate with an airport authority.
“Once an airport reaches a certain size and has a regional economic influence, the tendency is for that airport to become a part of an authority,” Roach said.
