Skwentna post office depends on a private cabin lease at the airport

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is proposing to extend the lease that keeps a post office operating in a private cabin at Skwentna Airport. The proposal is part of a three-notice DOT&PF cluster covering lease extensions at Mountain Village, Kaltag, and Skwentna airports.

The facility is a private cabin on state airport land held by Steven and Bonnie Childs. The lease covers about 7,506 square feet on the west side of the airport. The main floor operates as the post office. The second floor is authorized for recreational use and storage.

Skwentna is designated for Essential Air Service. Annual rent under the proposed five-year extension would be $1,103. DOT&PF first noticed this proposal in October 2024, with a comment deadline of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2024. The current 2026 notice reflects a renewed proposal under the same lease.

If the lease were not extended, program rules require the Childs to remove their improvements from the property. DOT&PF's Rural Airport Leasing Program requires a 30-day public notice period before the department acts on an application. According to program guidance, "If no issues arise during the 30-day public notice period, the ALS offers an agreement, such as a lease contract, to the applicant to sign and return." If the contract expires without extension, "the tenant is required, at their own expense, to remove any improvements, structures and personal property remaining on the land."