Watertown School Board Authorizes $90K LATC Avionics Bid as Proposed Airport Fees Could Top $118K
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown School Board voted unanimously Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to authorize competitive bidding for $90,000 in avionics parts and installation to support Lake Area Technical College’s Professional Fixed Wing Pilot program. The vote comes amid revelations that the Watertown Regional Airport Board is considering new operational fees that could cost the college over $100,000 annually.
Avionics Bidding Approved
Item 4.2.1 requested authority to solicit bids for avionics equipment after LATC recently acquired an aircraft that requires a complete avionics suite.
Funding for the estimated $90,000 expense is budgeted under the contracted services line item within LATC’s pilot program. Following a motion and a second by Board Member Kari Lohr, the board voted unanimously to authorize the solicitation of bids.
Proposed Airport Fees Threaten Flight Program Costs
During board discussion of the bidding request, board members raised concerns about potential fee increases being considered by municipal officials at the local airport.
"I noticed there was a newspaper article on airport board possibly charging our students a fee," board member Jean Moulton noted.
LATC Vice President Cam Corey confirmed that discussions are underway with municipal leaders about operational fees that would charge LATC each time a student pilot takes off or completes a flight operation.
"Yes, I did attend the airport board meeting and there was some discussion ahead of time that they were looking at charging Lake Area Tech an operational fee for which an operation is each time that a student goes up in the air in that," Corey reported to the board. "And so we had that discussion. They're looking at improvements at the airport. At this time, they've tabled that and we are going to have a work session to determine what would be a fair and equitable type of fee increase."
When asked to quantify the financial impact of the proposed fee, Corey said the fee structure would dramatically increase the program's operating costs.
"Based upon last year's student numbers and operations, it would have been approximately $118,000," Corey stated.
Board members reacted with surprise to the figure, noting that LATC currently pays no operational fee per flight takeoff.
"Is that a fee increase or was there no fee before?" board member Bailey Raml asked.
"There is no fee at this time," Corey confirmed.
"Good grief," responded Moulton.
LATC officials and the airport board plan to hold a joint work session to negotiate potential rates before formally adopting any fee structure.
