JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Due to continued passenger growth at the Jamestown Regional Airport, the need for parking has become somewhat of an issue.

During the Tuesday Stutsman County Commission meeting, Airport Director Samuel Seafeldt told the commission that they were looking to have the county commit their mill levy to pay off the initial cost of their airport parking lot rehabilitation.

Seafeldt told the commission that with their steady stream of boardings since 2014, they believe they can afford the loan payment over the next five years.

Auditor Nicole Meland asked if the airport would consider making the parking lot a paid parking lot, to which Seafeldt stated they would be unable to do that for the next 20 years due to the usage of the facility charged funding for the parking lot rehabilitation. Commissioners Dale Marks and Craig Neys said the free parking is a big selling point for the airport.

Meland warned the commission that if the airport was unable to make enough to make payment on the loan through their boardings, it may cause the need for increased taxes in order to afford the project.

Seafeldt says with their current levy, the money would be redirected towards the payment of the loan. He says they will not come in to ask for an increase in their current mill levy. The resolution was unanimously approved with commissioner Mark Klose absent.