The Crookston Airport Commission met on Tuesday morning at the City Hall conference room. The commission met on October 29 but lacked a quorum, so it had to reconvene to approve a few items.
AIRPORT MANAGER CONTRACT
The commission approved giving Crookston Municipal Airport manager Lowell Miller a three percent raise, as his current contract is set to end on December 31, 2025. The commission approved a three percent increase in the new contract for Miller and all members agreed that Miller does an outstanding job. “It averages about $20,000 a year in salaries that the city pays for the airport manager’s agreement,” said Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler. “We’re definitely getting a good return on our investment there. Lowell does a great job. There are numerous standards that he must follow according to the FAA’s rules and regulations, including guidelines on the length of the grass and the required maintenance. We are fortunate to have him. He does a wonderful job.”
HANGAR RENT INCREASE
The Commission decided to raise hangar rent by 10 percent for 2026. They reached out to other airports to see what they were charging, and Crookston was on the low end and hadn’t had an increase in several years. “It was decided that we would increase hangar rent 10% for year 2026 moving forward,” said Interim City Administrator Darin Selzler. “And the other part of that agreement is if you pay for the year in full, you get one month free.”
HANGAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH LOWELL MILLER
The commission approved a three-year lease for the hangar/shop area with Lowell Miller, effective from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028. “Everything stayed the same. Rent for the premises is $660 per month. And there are several other operational details that he would be responsible for, such as removing snow, mowing the grass, etc.,” said Selzler. “And there are some hourly lease rates for that. We lease the equipment from Lowell Miller and his business.”
Nothing is official until the Crookston City Council approves the items at the next meeting.
To see the story from the October 29, 2025 meeting, click here.