$5.8M planned in capital projects at Port of Moses Lake
Marines cross the tarmac during a 2022 training exercise at the Grant County International Airport in 2022. The Port of Moses Lake will start upgrades of the airport’s military training area in 2026.
FILE PHOTO
MOSES LAKE — The Port of Moses Lake is projected to generate about $12 million in revenues and spend about $16.07 million in 2026. The preliminary budget was reviewed by commissioners Monday.
“We’ve had some economic conditions – we're losing a tenant and a user of our wastewater, so port staff is working to fill those spaces,” said Kim DeTrolio, the port’s director of finance and administration.
The port is projected to generate about $9.38 million in operating revenue and about $2.6 million in non-operating revenue in 2026. Detrolio said most of the non-operating revenue comes from taxes and interest. Total revenue is projected to be about $41,000 higher in 2026 than it was in the 2025 budget.
Total expenses are projected to be about $16 million in 2026, which is about $2.3 million less than the 2025 budget. Even though expenses went down, the 2026 budget is projected to have a deficit of about $4.1 million. That’s due in part to capital projects spending of about $5.79 million.
“Our capital plan is always fluid,” DeTrolio said. “We try to get on our plan the things that we plan to do and the things that, if the opportunity presents itself, (we) do.”
Projected spending in the 2026 capital plan is about $2.86 million less than in 2025.
“In 2025, we did complete two huge projects (including) the west apron rehabilitation – and if you get a chance to see that nice piece of pavement, it’s expensive,” DeTrolio said. “We also completed – at midfield – the equipment shed.”
The new facility will be used to store the equipment for the port’s maintenance department; the existing building will be demolished or refurbished. Its total cost was about $1.4 million and was financed by the port. The rebuild of the west apron cost about $3.53 million. The apron is the spot where planes are parked and loaded and unloaded.
“Our big project this next year will be the military training facility,” DeTrolio said. “This is a substantial project (and) it will probably be multi-phased.”
The port hosts training exercises for all branches of the military, but the facility is in need of upgrades. Port officials received a $1.2 million loan from the Community Aviation Revitalization Board to pay for about half the project. Total project cost is about $2.7 million.
Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2026.
“We’ll put the building in to begin with, and then other (phases) of that will move forward as funds become available,” she said.
Two water mains used to fight fires are in the capital projects budget. The first project will provide upgraded firefighting capabilities to two existing customers, Genie and Chemi-Con Materials, on the east side of the airport.
“This system has gotten so old that we are looking at rehabilitating it. And it is expensive,” DeTrolio said.
The first phase is planned for 2026; it’s projected to cost $1 million in 2026 and 3 million total.
The second project will extend the water line for fighting fires to a new hangar under construction by an existing tenant, Million Air. DeTrolio said Million Air is paying part of the cost. The port’s portion was projected to be about $913,450 in 2026, and the port has received a $500,000 grant from Grant County.