By Mani Souphom – R & J Broadcasting | December 2, 2025

Roseau, MINN. – The Roseau City Council met Monday night, and much of the meeting centered on a major 2026 runway and taxiway reconstruction at the Roseau Municipal Airport. Project engineers outlined a roughly $3.8 million dollar FAA-funded rebuild set to begin in early May, with the primary runway closed until mid-July.

Roseau Mayor Dan Fabian explained the importance of this project, including its impact on local businesses and pilots in Roseau and its surrounding area:

Officials say starting early will shorten the overall shutdown, but the closure is expected to significantly affect local crop-spray operators, who warned the interruption could create major economic losses for area farmers. Local spray operator Gary Slater said they were not informed early enough about the project, and told the council, “Nobody in the airport that operates was notified… I heard about it for the first time in September. There should’ve been some type of communication.”

Mayor Dan Fabian apologized, saying he should have done more outreach:

Mayor Fabian also expressed his desire to continue working with Slater and other operators, and continuing to look for solutions:

The city will continue asking the FAA whether limited taxiway use is possible, but engineers say the reconstruction is critical: the pavement is deteriorating, safety areas need grading, and the runway must be brought up to current FAA standards. This project seeks to keep the airport operational for another 30 to 40 years. Officials say completing the work now, and as quickly as possible, is essential to keeping the airport safe and operational for decades to come. KQ92 and KRWB will continue to follow and update on this story.