Port district OKs half-million budget

Grant County Port District 7 commissioners approved their 2014 budget last Thursday.

The budget shows $534,500 in revenues and $523,200 in expenses.

The largest revenue and expense is a $322,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration which will enable the port district to purchase a new dump truck with snow removal equipment attached, plus construct a building to house the new equipment.

The proposed budget also predicts $134,000 income from the port’s 18-hole golf course from memberships and pro shop sales; and shows $132,600 in expenses.

The port district, which owns the golf course, took over operation of it two years ago to keep it from being closed. Next spring, the port will start its third year administering the course.

The district has been running the course with largely volunteer help, and the budget estimates making the course self-sustaining.

At the port meeting last Thursday, the commissioners agreed to send a letter of intent to accept a low bid of $130,362.62, submitted by Black Rock Construction, to build the proposed equipment shed at the airport. The bidder has to supply bonding and other information before the project can move forward.

The second part of the project, the dump truck with plow equipment, will be advertised for bid later this year. Both projects are geared for completion in 2014. The engineer’s estimate for the two projects is $235,222.

In other action, commissioners voted to purchase a $7,000 leaf blower for the golf course. Previous to this, the golf course had to depend on volunteers with hand rakes to remove leaves from the fairways.