Lander County won’t pay to lease Kingston Airport

Thursday, Nov. 13, 1997 | 9:19 a.m.

Commission Chairman Jim Fouts said the county couldn't apply for the land transfer itself because the lease is in the name of the Kingston Town Board.

An application for transfer of the title to Austin airport was separated from the Kingston request, to put the Austin proposal on a fast track.

The title transfer for Austin airport could be approved by the FAA regional director in Los Angeles by Jan. 1, after which the BLM would conduct a five-month review, leaving final approval possible by May.

Jim Kielach, secretary of the advisory committee for Kingston airport, urged the county to take responsibility for it, saying the airport has historically been maintained by the county and the airport doesn't lie in the geographic town limits of Kingston.

Fouts said county officials haven't been able to find any interlocal agreement between the county and Kingston town board over maintenance of the airport or roads leading to it.

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