Colville Chamber Meeting Highlights Airport History and Expansion Plans

Community health, aviation infrastructure, and downtown parking were among the topics discussed during the May 12 Colville Chamber of Commerce meeting, where local leaders and business owners gathered to share upcoming events, community concerns, and economic development updates. Before the meeting’s guest speaker took to the floor, a few community members gave announcements. Shari DePaulo with The Nest and Colville Women’s Center spoke about The Nest’s upcoming community fashion show called “See Me.” The event is focused on maternal mental health awareness and will feature 10 mothers from surrounding communities modeling outfits that make them feel confident and empowered, DePaulo said. Scott Aslakson, Colville Chamber of Commerce president, also spoke on upcoming community events, including the annual Chamber golf tournament on May 15, and the annual sidewalk sale and car show planned for July 9-10 Aslakson also announced changes to the chamber’s membership renewal structure. Memberships will now transition to a calendar-year system beginning next January 2027, with current memberships prorated through December. The meeting’s featured speaker was airport manager Dave Garringer, who provided an extensive update on operations and future planning at the city-owned Colville Municipal Airport. Garringer explained that the airport has been under city management for decades and serves a broad range of functions beyond recreational aviation, including wildfire response, medical transport, and law enforcement operations. The airport features fuel facilities, hangars, weather monitoring systems, and pilot amenities. Garringer said that during wildfire season, the airport frequently supports Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources firefighting operations, including helicopter staging. Recent improvements include the installation of a new fuel tank in 2023 and ongoing pavement maintenance projects funded largely through Federal Aviation Administration grants, Garringer said, adding that the airport is pursuing state grant funding for runway crack repair and maintenance. One of the most discussed topics involved the possibility of extending the runway northward by approximately 1,000 feet. According to Garringer, the expansion would primarily support wildfire suppression aircraft and improve the airport’s ability to accommodate larger firefighting planes that must operate from other regional airports. He stated that the Airport Layout Plan remains in the planning phase and would require land acquisition through voluntary sales rather than eminent domain. If completed, Garringer said the project could also improve the airport’s role as a regional transportation hub and increase access for medical and business aviation. Meeting attendees inquired about the airport’s role in supporting emergency medical transport, including Life Flight helicopter operations and patient transfers to larger hospitals in Spokane. Garringer noted that medical helicopters regularly use the airport and that Life Flight has explored establishing a more permanent operational base locally. The meeting concluded with discussion surrounding the future of the city’s Business Improvement District and Parking Commission. Business owners expressed concern over a proposal that could dissolve the structure overseeing downtown parking management. Several members defended the commission, describing it as a successful partnership between downtown businesses and the city that has helped maintain and expand parking availability over the past four decades. The possible dissolution of the Parking Commission was passed at the Colville City Council meeting on May 12 (see story page 1). The next Colville Chamber of Commerce meeting is scheduled for May 26, at noon at El Patron.