There are three main options for the Houston County Airport, Eric Benson told county commissions on March 9.
The first would be to buy more land and build a new, longer runway;
The second would be to repave the existing runway; and
The third is to close down the facility.
Benson serves as Chairman of the Houston County Airport Commission and owns Benson Technical Works, which uses the current airport on a regular basis.
"The most expensive option is closing the airport," Benson said. That's because the county would have to repay federal grant monies received over the years (minus depreciation), remove the runway, hangers, and compensate hanger owners. "That would cost about $700,000," he estimated.
The second course of action would be to keep the current runway, which is no longer approved for global positioning system (GPS) approach, leave everything where it is, and simply resurface the landing strip.
Benson said 80 percent of the cost for that could be paid for with federal monies, but the county would still end up with a bill for about $400,000.
Just fixing the runway would not permit GPS to be put back in, Benson said, since the length of the landing strip is still too short, and hangers and trees are too close to the runway.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), he said, would not permit the resumption of GPS unless the county agrees to build a whole new runway.
"It's nearly twice the cost (of a new runway) for nothing," Benson said. Without GPS, the airport is "basically a recreational airport only, not desirable for business, charter or medical emergency flights."
The irony of the situation, Benson said, is that MnDOT removed the GPS in order to get the county to act, insisting that current standards would have to be met.
"By disallowing the GPS approach... you've made the airport less safe, for the sake of safety," he said.
The remaining option is to buy about 60 acres of land, get permanent easements on 36 additional acres, and build a longer runway. Benson said 95 percent of the cost of the project would paid by the FAA, from the aviation trust fund.
He estimated the cost to Houston County at approximately $240,000 over five years. Commissioners asked County Engineer Brian Pogodzinski if he favored the larger airport?
"It would all depend on what steps the board wants to take with the landowners to acquire the land... The most economical way is to relocate the runway and move forward," he said.
Benson said the trust fund is supported from taxes paid by airport users. He noted that if Houston County doesn't apply for the funds, they will go toward airport improvements elsewhere.
An added benefit, he said, was an offer from MnDOT to install an automated weather observation station (AWOS) if the new facility is built.
The AWOS would cost the county nothing to install or maintain, Benson said, but would have numerous benefits for fliers and others.
There would be room for more hangers, Benson noted, and the facility would encourage business use, with GPS LPV approach.
LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) is said to be the highest precision aviation instrument approach available without specialized aircrew training requirements according to www.Wikipedia.org.
Mayo and Gunderson health centers would be able to use the improved airport, Benson said.
Commissioner Bob Augedahl said that he had many years of experience working for an ambulance service.
"I retired in October," he said, "and over those years, there were numerous times when I'd be at a casualty accident waiting for a helicopter or a fixed wing... and there wasn't any (available). We could have saved a lot of lives over those years if we had an airplane that was close."
Commissioners asked Emergency Services Coordinator Kurt Kuhlers to investigate any grant money that may be available to help pay the county's portion, since making medical flights available during an emergency might qualify for aid.
Commissioner Jack Miller said, "I'm supportive of anything with the potential to grow businesses in the county."
Hurdles to moving forward
County EDA coordinator Jordan Wilms said that there was a serious problem with building a new runway. Of the 15 affected landowners who he has attempted to talk to, two of the largest are opposed to the plan.
Wilms added that the most important landowner was still "adamantly" against selling land to the county. He agreed with Pogodzinski on the need to work out land issues before committing to anything.
"We'd just like to see that they (landowners) were open to the project before we agree to do the environmental assessment," he said, noting that once the county does that, they are expected to follow through on the project.
Pogodzinski said the assessment would take from six to nine months to complete.
Benson said that if the county committed to the improvements by authorizing an environmental assessment, he could seek a wavier with MnDOT to allow for the resumption of GPS.
Airport Commissioner Bob Cummings said, "Are we even needed anymore?" He said that nationwide, small airports are remaining open just because of the high cost of closing them.
"I don't have a horse in this race," he noted, "I'm not an airport tenant... But if we have no approach into this airport, then we are done."
Commissioners directed Finance Director Casey Bradley to draw up budget proposals that will compare the costs of various courses of action, to be brought forward at budget hearings.
The second would be to repave the existing runway; and
The third is to close down the facility.
Benson serves as Chairman of the Houston County Airport Commission and owns Benson Technical Works, which uses the current airport on a regular basis.
"The most expensive option is closing the airport," Benson said. That's because the county would have to repay federal grant monies received over the years (minus depreciation), remove the runway, hangers, and compensate hanger owners. "That would cost about $700,000," he estimated.
The second course of action would be to keep the current runway, which is no longer approved for global positioning system (GPS) approach, leave everything where it is, and simply resurface the landing strip.
Benson said 80 percent of the cost for that could be paid for with federal monies, but the county would still end up with a bill for about $400,000.
Just fixing the runway would not permit GPS to be put back in, Benson said, since the length of the landing strip is still too short, and hangers and trees are too close to the runway.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), he said, would not permit the resumption of GPS unless the county agrees to build a whole new runway.
"It's nearly twice the cost (of a new runway) for nothing," Benson said. Without GPS, the airport is "basically a recreational airport only, not desirable for business, charter or medical emergency flights."
The irony of the situation, Benson said, is that MnDOT removed the GPS in order to get the county to act, insisting that current standards would have to be met.
"By disallowing the GPS approach... you've made the airport less safe, for the sake of safety," he said.
The remaining option is to buy about 60 acres of land, get permanent easements on 36 additional acres, and build a longer runway. Benson said 95 percent of the cost of the project would paid by the FAA, from the aviation trust fund.
He estimated the cost to Houston County at approximately $240,000 over five years. Commissioners asked County Engineer Brian Pogodzinski if he favored the larger airport?
"It would all depend on what steps the board wants to take with the landowners to acquire the land... The most economical way is to relocate the runway and move forward," he said.
Benson said the trust fund is supported from taxes paid by airport users. He noted that if Houston County doesn't apply for the funds, they will go toward airport improvements elsewhere.
An added benefit, he said, was an offer from MnDOT to install an automated weather observation station (AWOS) if the new facility is built.
The AWOS would cost the county nothing to install or maintain, Benson said, but would have numerous benefits for fliers and others.
There would be room for more hangers, Benson noted, and the facility would encourage business use, with GPS LPV approach.
LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) is said to be the highest precision aviation instrument approach available without specialized aircrew training requirements according to www.Wikipedia.org.
Mayo and Gunderson health centers would be able to use the improved airport, Benson said.
Commissioner Bob Augedahl said that he had many years of experience working for an ambulance service.
"I retired in October," he said, "and over those years, there were numerous times when I'd be at a casualty accident waiting for a helicopter or a fixed wing... and there wasn't any (available). We could have saved a lot of lives over those years if we had an airplane that was close."
Commissioners asked Emergency Services Coordinator Kurt Kuhlers to investigate any grant money that may be available to help pay the county's portion, since making medical flights available during an emergency might qualify for aid.
Commissioner Jack Miller said, "I'm supportive of anything with the potential to grow businesses in the county."
Hurdles to moving forward
County EDA coordinator Jordan Wilms said that there was a serious problem with building a new runway. Of the 15 affected landowners who he has attempted to talk to, two of the largest are opposed to the plan.
Wilms added that the most important landowner was still "adamantly" against selling land to the county. He agreed with Pogodzinski on the need to work out land issues before committing to anything.
"We'd just like to see that they (landowners) were open to the project before we agree to do the environmental assessment," he said, noting that once the county does that, they are expected to follow through on the project.
Pogodzinski said the assessment would take from six to nine months to complete.
Benson said that if the county committed to the improvements by authorizing an environmental assessment, he could seek a wavier with MnDOT to allow for the resumption of GPS.
Airport Commissioner Bob Cummings said, "Are we even needed anymore?" He said that nationwide, small airports are remaining open just because of the high cost of closing them.
"I don't have a horse in this race," he noted, "I'm not an airport tenant... But if we have no approach into this airport, then we are done."
Commissioners directed Finance Director Casey Bradley to draw up budget proposals that will compare the costs of various courses of action, to be brought forward at budget hearings.
