Watertown City Council to Consider FAA Lease Extension at Watertown Regional Airport
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council is set to review a supplemental agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration as part of its consent agenda during its Monday, Oct. 5, 2026 meeting.
The contract extension would allow the Federal Aviation Administration to continue renting approximately 439.1 square feet of technical space in the Radio Communications Outlet Equipment Room, located inside the old Passenger Terminal Building at the Watertown Regional Airport. The extension will keep the equipment housed there until the completion of new Federal Aviation Administration equipment shelters are completed.
If approved, the three-year agreement will go into effect retroactively from Oct. 1, 2026, and run through Sept. 30, 2030. The Federal Aviation Administration will pay the City of Watertown $284 monthly, totaling $3,408 annually for the duration of the term. The original lease agreement commenced on Oct. 1, 2010.
The supplemental agreement also incorporates several new clauses mandated by the federal government. These include:
· Three security clauses protecting sensitive information under the FAA's Defensive Counterintelligence Program.
· Clauses affirming the city does not provide or use sources prohibited by Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act orders.
· Three new clauses prohibiting the use of certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment.
City Manager Alan Stager and staff have recommended approval of the supplemental agreement.
