Improvements planned at Ford Airport include a passenger holding room expansion and a jet bridge to allow passengers to board and disembark without being exposed to outdoor elements. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The first phase of a Fontana Terminal expansion at Dickinson County’s Ford Airport has an estimated cost of $4 million, nearly all of which might be paid with federal funds, according to county officials.

The project will provide a jet bridge and an expanded holding room for passengers, along with restroom access currently unavailable once passengers move past screening.

The county board on Monday authorized a local design share of at least $26,632, even as Controller Brian Bousley admitted frustration with federally-supervised planning that dates back to 2022.

“It’s starting all over, but it is what it is,” he said.

To allow a grant application to go forward, commissioners approved design and engineering costs of $532,464. The county’s share is 10%, with half of that to be reimbursed, Bousley said.

Prein & Newhof of Grand Rapids was hired in 2022 to conduct a $140,000 federally paid study on the airport’s needs. The consultant confirmed the need for a bigger terminal, but acknowledged it was unlikely to be built using federal dollars alone.

Initially, the county discussed with Alliiance architects of Minneapolis a proposed two-story building of about 35,000 square feet, including a second-floor restaurant. Under that proposal, the existing Fontana Terminal, measuring about 12,000 square feet, would serve only as office space. But with a cost roughly estimated at $36 million, county officials determined a local share likely beyond 10% would be too much.

Plans for a scaled-down version began in 2024, and Bousley said it’s hoped that Federal Aviation Administration entitlement and grant funds can cover the planned first phase.

Monday’s county board action was a late addition to the agenda. In a memo Friday, Jon Van Duinen of Prein & Newhof informed the county that the design cost for the first phase came in much higher than the $300,000 anticipated.

County officials say Ford Airport has remained popular because of service reliability and free parking, among other factors. Passenger boardings in recent years have averaged about 20,000 annually.

SkyWest Airlines, operating under the Delta brand, has served as the airport’s Essential Air Service carrier since 2012. In January, the U.S. Department of Transportation renewed its contract through Jan. 31, 2030, to provide 13 roundtrips per week to Detroit and Minneapolis. In 2026, SkyWest’s subsidy is $5.02 million, increasing to $5.17 million in 2027, $5.32 million in 2028 and $5.48 million in 2029.

The EAS contract is part of a five-airport order that includes Sault Ste. Marie, Rhinelander, Wis., and Brainerd and International Falls, Minn., all with subsidies roughly in the same range. In 2025, the subsidy amount for Ford Airport was reported at $7.56 million.

The latest EAS order calls for 50-passenger Bombardier CRJ550 aircraft, although SkyWest has at times used larger jets. Denver Air Connection had offered a cheaper proposal last year but with the option of using smaller 30-passenger Dornier 328 jets. Air Wisconsin also submitted a bid but later withdrew.

EAS is mainly funded through fees collected by the FAA from foreign air carriers using U.S. airspace and through the Airport and Airways Trust Fund, which collects excise taxes from passenger ticket sales. The Trump Administration has proposed drastic cuts in EAS funding, but Congress has so far kept contracts in place.

In other action Monday, the county board:

— Heard Barbara Kramer of Iron Mountain suggest the county plan for part-time lifeguard coverage at Lake Antoine Park for the 2027 season, possibly through an agreement with Northern Lights YMCA-Dickinson Center. In another matter, Kramer said talks are needed with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and others regarding Canada geese at the beach.

— Shared disappointment over persistent problems with the boat launch at Lake Antoine Park. In the fall of 2020, Midwest Asphalt & Gravel of Iron Mountain competed a $90,254 project to replace the launch, aided by a $43,865 Michigan Waterways Grant. Bousley said he will consult with project engineer Coleman Engineering of Iron Mountain about what can be done.

— Will allow American Legion Post 50 to sell alcohol at the Dickinson County Veterans’ Picnic on Saturday, June 27, at Lake Antoine, contingent on an increase in liability coverage.

— Agreed to waive rental fees for the Proud Equestrians to have a special needs fair at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds in Norway from Aug. 9-15.

— Approved a request from Queen City Running to host a trail run/race in the Fumee Lake Natural Area on Thursday, July 9.

— Approved a Northern Lights YMCA swimming event from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Lake Antoine Park on Sunday, July 19, and FUNday by Lake Antoine Park Partners from 1 to 4 p.m. on the same day.

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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.