Yampa Valley Airport Commission
April 9, 2026
Meeting Minutes
The regular meeting of the Yampa Valley Airport Commission (YVAC) was called to
order at 6:03 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Yampa Valley Regional Airport
(Hayden) Conference Room, Hayden, CO, as well as via Microsoft Teams.
YVAC Members present:
Tim Redmond – Routt County Commissioner, Chair
Michael Buccino – Steamboat Springs City Council
Janet Fischer – Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp
Keith Hensley – Routt County Business
Randy Looper – Craig City Council
Elaine Hicks – Hayden Town Council
Steve Birch – Routt County Aviation
Traver Farmer – Routt County Aviation
Nolene Powers – Routt County Resident
YVAC Members absent:
Amy Dickson – Steamboat Springs City Council, Alternate
Chris Nichols – Craig City Council, Alternate
Katie Brown – Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., Alternate
Ryan Banks – Hayden Town Council, Alternate
Others Present:
Tinneal Gerber – Airport Director, YVRA
Josh Schroeder – Airport Manager, SBS
Tim Ascher – Atlantic Aviation, HDN General Manager
Jesse Erickson – Woolpert, Project Manager
Jared Fox – Desert Jet
Ben Horstman – Desert Jet
Jordan Weins – Wiens Capital Management LLC
1. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
I. Approval of Minutes – February 12, 2026
MOTION
Commissioner Looper moved to accept February 12, 2026, meeting minutes as
presented; Commissioner Farmer seconded. The motion carried unanimously
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2. NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
3. COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMEBERS
None
4. NEW BUSINESS
I. Airport / Capital / Infrastructure / Budget Update – Josh Schroeder
SBS Manager, Josh Schroeder provided an update on the airport's engineering
consultant services and capital improvement projects. He reported that Bolton &
Menk has been selected as the airport's engineering consultants for the next five
years. Finalization of the Master Services Agreement has been delayed due to a
backlog of contract reviews within the City Attorney's Office, but the agreement is
nearing completion and signatures are expected soon. Once executed, the agreement
will allow the airport to move forward with project-specific contracts for upcoming
capital improvements.
Regarding the airport lighting upgrade project, Manager Schroeder explained that the
runway and taxiway lighting improvements will be managed by Bolton & Menk.
Because the Master Services Agreement has not yet been finalized, the bidding
process has been delayed by approximately six weeks. Despite the delay, the airport
is still targeting construction for late summer. Current estimates anticipate a runway
closure lasting approximately four to six weeks. If construction cannot begin by late
August or early September, the project may need to be postponed until spring 2027.
Manager Schroeder also reported that the long-planned terminal area improvements
are finally moving forward, with construction scheduled to begin on May 4. The
project will reconfigure the terminal access road, create space to relocate the fuel
truck parking structure, establish a future self-service fuel site, and open additional
land for future hangar development. Construction is expected to take approximately
60 days and be completed by midsummer.
In conjunction with the terminal improvements, the City Streets Department will
oversee a parking lot rehabilitation project. United Companies was selected as the
contractor for both projects, allowing construction activities to be coordinated and
improving overall efficiency despite the increased level of activity expected
throughout the summer.
Manager Schroeder provided an update on the proposed Amazon last-mile shipping
transit hub adjacent to the FBO. The facility would serve as a package distribution
point for the Steamboat area using shipping containers and delivery vans. Airport
staff continue to work with the City Planning and Engineering departments to ensure
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the project complies with city requirements related to parking, drainage, and
earthwork. A meeting is planned to finalize outstanding issues, with the goal of
executing a lease agreement within the next month. The project is expected to
generate additional airport revenue while serving as an interim use until future hangar
development occurs.
Manager Schroeder concluded his report by discussing leasing activity within the
terminal building. He stated that Moving Mountains has expressed strong interest in
leasing approximately 3,100 square feet in Area C on the southwest portion of the
building. The location's loading access makes it well suited for the company's
operations. Proposed lease rates are approximately $25 per square foot, which is
consistent with comparable commercial properties in the area. If the lease is finalized,
approximately 4,600 square feet of space will remain available. The airport continues
to work with Randall Hanaway of The Group Real Estate to attract additional
aviation-related tenants and hopes to fully lease the remaining space by the end of the
summer.
During board discussion, Commissioner Fischer asked whether the proposed tenant
would occupy the area identified as Tenant B on the site map. Manager Schroeder
clarified that the company would instead lease Area C in the southwest portion of the
building because it provides convenient access through an existing receiving door and
garage opening. Commissioner Fischer also asked about the anticipated timing of the
four- to six-week runway closure associated with the lighting project. Manager
Schroeder explained that the schedule cannot be finalized until the bidding process is
complete and a contractor is selected, although the airport is targeting late August or
early September.
Commissioner Birch asked whether the FAA Airports District Office had contacted
the airport regarding the RNAV approach following the Epic incident. Manager
Schroeder responded that no communication has been received from the FAA and
that the RNAV approach remains cancelled through October pending additional
information from the NTSB investigation. He noted that future decisions regarding
the procedure will depend on the findings of that investigation.
With no further questions from the board, the meeting proceeded to the next agenda
item, an update from Yampa Valley Regional Airport.
II. Airport / Capital / Infrastructure / Budget Update – Tinneal Gerber
YVRA Director, Tinneal Gerber provided an update on several ongoing projects and
operational initiatives at Yampa Valley Regional Airport. The airport recently
received its new liquid de-ice trailer, which has been accepted and is now operational
for next winter's season. Staff are working to close out the associated grant, which has
remained open for nearly four years. In addition, the FAA completed a flight
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inspection of the REILs and Runway 28 PAPI system, both of which successfully
passed and are fully operational.
The Director reported that issues continue with the Runway 10 glide slope. While
both the glide slope and localizer remain operational and meet required standards
independently, they are not properly aligned with one another. As a result, the FAA
may issue updates to the instrument approach procedures or approach plates to reflect
the discrepancy. Further information is expected as additional evaluations are
completed.
The terminal expansion project continues to make significant progress. The design
phase is nearing completion, with all required documents submitted to the building
department for permit review. Comments received from the building department have
been addressed, and revised drawings are being prepared for resubmission. The
building permit is expected within approximately 30 days.
The bidding process for the terminal expansion was highly successful. A total of 57
bid packages were distributed to 372 subcontractors, resulting in 132 bids received.
The competitive bidding process produced savings of more than $4 million compared
to original estimates while maintaining the project's full scope. Several local firms,
including BTK Surveys, Central Electric, Giovanni, and Native, are expected to
receive contract awards pending Board of County Commissioners approval. The
savings also allowed the project team to include additional alternates, including
demolition of Hangar 1, complete furniture, fixtures, equipment, kitchen equipment,
gate seating, and the common-use gate system for the four new gates.
Project contingencies remain strong, with more than $7 million reserved, including
approximately $5.5 million in owner-controlled contingency funds. The reduced
project cost also lowered the airport's reserve contribution from $33 million to $29
million, strengthening the airport's financial position and providing opportunities to
begin planning Phase Two improvements. Groundbreaking is anticipated once
contracts are finalized, with construction expected to begin in late April or early May.
The Board also received updates on several additional capital projects. The Colorado
Department of Transportation grant for new snow removal equipment has been
executed, and the airport has received authorization to proceed with procurement. The
Aviation Business Park project continues to advance through agreement negotiations
with outside counsel, while the airport recently secured $3 million in Economic
Development Administration funding, bringing total project funding to approximately
$6 million. Proposed modifications to the taxi lane alignment have been submitted to
the EDA and are expected to receive approval as they represent a location adjustment
rather than a significant scope change.
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The airport is awaiting a decision on its Airport Terminal Program grant application
for the terminal expansion. If awarded, the additional funding would offset existing
project costs and further improve airport reserves.
Director Gerber also reported progress on the airport's revenue bond financing.
Preliminary Official Statements have been reviewed, and an updated credit rating
evaluation with Standard & Poor's is underway following establishment of the
project's Guaranteed Maximum Price. The favorable bid results and strengthened
reserve position are expected to positively support the airport's financial outlook.
Winter passenger traffic was softer than previous years, with January enplanements
increasing approximately 1.5 percent and February remaining essentially flat year
over year. Preliminary March figures indicate passenger traffic may be down
approximately 9.5 percent compared to the prior year.
Director Gerber reported that Emerald Express was denied its permanent operating
authority application by the Public Utilities Commission, largely due to concerns
regarding winter demand and existing transportation providers. At the same time,
Steamboat Express continues to pursue litigation against the airport before the PUC,
alleging that the airport prevented it from operating under its authority. Airport
leadership expressed confidence in its legal position and noted that numerous
Colorado airports and governmental entities have submitted letters of support because
of the potential statewide implications of the case.
Operational staffing changes were also discussed. Operations, Safety, and Security
Superintendent KC Hume has accepted the City Manager position in Craig and will
depart on the 17th of the month. Recruitment is underway, with five applications
received, four of which include strong airport operations experience.
Airport maintenance crews are preparing for a busy construction season with spring
maintenance activities, improvements to the Uber and Lyft staging area, utility
relocations, fiber infrastructure work, gate relocations, and demolition preparation
associated with the Aviation Business Park.
Director Gerber also announced plans to seek approval for a new Accounting
Supervisor position to provide dedicated oversight of the airport's growing financial
responsibilities, including management of more than 150 contracts, grant compliance,
and capital project accounting. The position would supervise existing accounting staff
while providing additional financial management support.
A ceremonial groundbreaking event for the terminal expansion project is planned for
late May or early June, with invitations to be distributed to stakeholders.
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Board members discussed the continuing impacts of the FAA's Ground Delay
Program and national airspace restrictions affecting mountain airports. Director
Gerber reported that despite ongoing communication efforts with state officials and
industry partners, no significant updates have been received from the FAA. While
operational procedures have improved through increased pilot coordination and
communication, delays remain a concern during peak winter periods.
The discussion also included the potential future implementation of digital remote
tower technology. Although FAA approval of the technology is anticipated in the
near future, funding and implementation remain several years away. State officials
continue to actively pursue regional remote tower solutions that could ultimately
benefit multiple western Colorado airports.
The Board also discussed the community-wide impacts of the FAA restrictions,
including passenger delays, missed connections, airline operations, and strain on
airport staff. Approximately six to ten significant delay days occurred following
implementation of the new procedures in February, with the greatest impacts
concentrated during peak midday operations.
Board members acknowledged the continued advocacy efforts by airport staff and
state partners to address these operational challenges and improve future service
reliability.
III. Air Service Update – Janet Fischer
Commissioner Fischer provided an update on winter air service performance, summer
operations, and planning efforts for the upcoming 2026–2027 winter season. For
consistency, winter performance is measured based on the dates the ski area is open,
rather than by calendar months. During the recently concluded winter season, the
airport offered approximately 226,000 arriving seats, representing a 3 percent
increase over the previous winter but a 4 percent decrease compared to two years ago.
Preliminary passenger counts indicate approximately 156,000 arriving passengers, a
decrease of about 4 percent from last season. Overall load factors were estimated
between 68 and 69 percent, compared with 74 percent the prior winter and 71 percent
two years ago. While lower snowfall impacted travel demand, destination visitors
remained resilient, with declines occurring primarily among Front Range travelers,
drive markets, and local passengers. The community's destination market continued
to perform well despite challenging conditions.
Commissioner Fischer reported that the winter air service program is expected to
remain under its contractual cost cap of approximately $3.84 million, although final
revenue calculations are still pending until complete March data is received.
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Reviewing summer operations, Commissioner Fischer noted that the previous
summer experienced matching increases in both seat capacity and passenger traffic.
Looking ahead to the 2026 spring, summer, and fall season, seat capacity is scheduled
to increase by approximately 12 percent. Southwest Airlines has expanded service
from five weekly flights to daily service through October, while United Airlines has
upgraded two of its three daily Denver flights to mainline aircraft, contributing
significantly to the increase in available seats.
Planning for the 2026–2027 winter season is well underway. Most airline schedules
are already loaded through March 5, 2027, reflecting confidence from both the
airlines and the destination, although schedules remain subject to final adjustments.
United has loaded service from all seven domestic hubs with schedules and aircraft
comparable to the prior season. Alaska Airlines has loaded service from Seattle and
San Diego, while American Airlines has loaded Dallas and Chicago service. Delta
currently has Atlanta service available but has not yet finalized Minneapolis service,
which remains under discussion. Southwest's booking schedule extends only through
October due to its shorter booking window, and additional details are expected
following meetings in Dallas. JetBlue's winter schedule is typically finalized later in
the year, and staff anticipate some challenges securing service due to weaker
performance during the recent low-snow season.
Commissioner Fischer outlined several challenges that could affect future air service
planning. The FAA Ground Delay Program remains a significant operational concern,
particularly on Saturdays when concentrated arrival schedules create congestion and
delay propagation throughout airline networks. The airport and its airline partners
continue exploring opportunities to adjust arrival and departure times to reduce
operational bottlenecks while preserving passenger connectivity at hub airports.
Rising jet fuel prices also present financial challenges by increasing airline operating
costs and minimum revenue guarantee requirements. Additional uncertainties include
staffing levels within the Transportation Security Administration and airline strategies
to manage higher operating costs through capacity adjustments or increased fares.
Commissioner Fischer also reported that the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and
the Local Marketing District are negotiating a new air service partnership agreement
before the current agreement expires on June 30. She expressed optimism that the
revised agreement will provide positive benefits for both organizations and the
broader community.
During discussion, board members asked whether the FAA Ground Delay Program
had become a significant topic in conversations with airline partners. Commissioner
Fischer explained that airlines are aware of the issue and that discussions currently
focus more on adjusting flight schedules to alleviate peak congestion than on
concerns about continuing service. She emphasized that balancing revised schedules
with hub connectivity remains a complex challenge.
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To illustrate the operational impacts of the Ground Delay Program, Commissioner
Fischer reviewed examples of Saturday flight schedules showing cascading arrival
delays throughout the day, with some flights delayed by more than three hours. She
also presented gate occupancy scenarios demonstrating the heavy concentration of
aircraft on the ground during midday periods, particularly between noon and 2:00
p.m., and discussed efforts to redistribute arrivals where possible to reduce
congestion.
Board members inquired whether ongoing delays could jeopardize airline
commitments to the market. Commissioner Fischer stated that she has not received
indications that airlines intend to reduce service because of the delays, although she
acknowledged that the issue remains a concern and will continue to be monitored
closely. Southwest Airlines' performance was affected by the low-snow season, but
discussions regarding future service remain positive.
The presentation concluded with acknowledgment that airport staff, airline partners,
and community stakeholders are continu