Delta County Board of Commissioners Joint Meeting with the Airport Advisory Board 4/30/2026

The Delta County Board of Commissioners held a joint meeting with the Airport Advisory Board on April 30, 2026, primarily to discuss restructuring the duties of the airport manager in response to ongoing FAA compliance issues at the Delta County Airport. The FAA had raised concerns about repeated compliance problems over the past decade, prompting the county to create a new airfield operations manager position to oversee Part 139 compliance and relieve the airport manager of some operational responsibilities. The personnel and finance committees reviewed and adjusted job descriptions and salaries, proposing a $75,000 salary for the airport manager and $65,000 for the new operations manager, with some funding expected from increased airport revenue. The meeting included discussions about the challenges of staff turnover, the need for better management structure, and coordination with other regional airports like Traverse City for operational guidance. There was also concern about communication gaps between the advisory board and county administration regarding FAA interactions and contract issues. No formal motions were made on the restructuring during this meeting, but a motion was passed to schedule a follow-up meeting with the Airport Advisory Board to continue discussions.