From The Watch (Western San Juan Mountains): MONTROSE COUNTY – Black Canyon Partners, operator of the Black Canyon Jet Center, the Montrose Regional Airport’s only Fixed-Base Operator, has filed a civil complaint against nine Montrose County officials for allegedly withholding public documents it requested during the recent Request For Proposals process for a second FBO at the airport.

The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 23, two days after Montrose County Manager Rick Eckert announced a committee’s findings that Majestic Skies of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was one of two applicants that met the minimum requirements to be an FBO. That finding now obligates the county, per Federal Aviation Administration Grant Assurances policy, to enter into contract negotiations, which if successful would make Majestic Skies the second FBO at the airport.

While the FAA Grant Assurances policy stipulates that the county must consider possible FBOs that meet minimum requirements, its policy is ambiguous as to whether the county can simply deny new FBO applications based on economic or market circumstances.

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