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How many repairs, renovations and improvements will the Lunenburg County Airport see over the next two years? The answer is it depends on how much the state pays and how much is left up to the county to cover. As part of the ongoing budget discussions, county supervisors are going over the proposed capital improvements plan for the airport, which includes some major projects and significant spending, with some caveats attached. Some of those projects would only move forward if they get matching state, federal or private grants. 

“Please keep in mind that this is a plan,” Lunenburg County Administrator Tracy Gee told supervisors during their Thursday, April 10 meeting. It’s a plan, not a guarantee. Just because it lists a certain number under what the county would pay, that doesn’t mean the money has already been allocated. It’s what the county staff estimates would be Lunenburg’s share, if supervisors agree to move forward. 

That’s especially true for the big ticket project proposed for 2026 in the capital improvements plan. It calls for hanger construction at a cost of $450,000, currently all paid for by the county. 

“We had an offer from a private business to assist us with some grant funding for that hanger,” Gee said. “If we are able to obtain that (grant) funding, then we would consider construction.” 

Basically, if the grant funding came in, the county staff would determine how much that takes away from the $450,000 price tag. Then the item goes before the airport commission and then, possibly to the supervisors. So it’s currently listed for 2026 only as a placeholder. If the grant doesn’t come in or if it’s not enough, then that would get pushed back to a later year for consideration. 

Some projects in the budget 

What will be included for consideration in this year’s budget are two projects mainly funded by the state. First up is preliminary engineering for hanger site preparation. After all, before you build a hanger, you have to design it. That would be $18,000 provided by the state, with the county contributing $2,000. 

Also being considered for this year’s budget is a request to pay for more designs, this time for a rehabilitation of the airport’s runway lighting. That would come at a cost of $13,500 from the state, with the county being asked to contribute $1,500. 

Then we advance to next year’s budget, with three more projects penciled in. This year’s budget requests funding for design plans to repair and renovate the runway lighting. Next year, the request is for $35,000 in local funds to go with $315,000 in state dollars to actually pay for the runway construction. It also calls for $66,000 in state money and $34,000 in local funds to pay to automate the airport’s fuel farm. And finally in 2027, that money spent on hanger site preparation would advance to the next step and begin construction, with $32,000 from the state and $8,000 expected from the local side. 

But again, nothing here is set in stone, as Gee said. This is a plan, which can change depending on if or when the county receives some state or private grants. 

More about the Lunenburg County airport 

And for those just joining us, here’s a little background. The Lunenburg County Airport is jointly owned and operated by the county and the towns of Kenbridge and Victoria. In 1966, when the Lunenburg County Airport was developed, ownership and expenses were split three ways. Lunenburg County owns 50%, while the towns of Kenbride and Victoria each own 25%, respectively. The groups meet on a quarterly basis to discuss the airport’s needs and future, with each group allowed to send one representative.
Historically, Lunenburg County has managed the Airport fund and the towns are required to make $1,500 cash or in-kind contributions annually, regardless of the County general fund transfer needed to maintain operations and maintenance. County officials want to see funding for capital projects split 50/25/25. 

The airport averages 30 flights per month, based on the data The Dispatch collected earlier this year. However, as Airport Manager Larry Way told reporter Nate Pentecost back in February, that may not be the actual number. 

“Many flights do not stop at the FBO (Fixed Base Operator) to sign the guest register but utilize the airport to hone their skills both for landings and approaches,” Way said in that February interview. 

So as of now, we may not actually have a set number when it comes to how often the airport gets used.