The Shawano City-County Airport could soon have a new owner – sort of.
Shawano County officials are weighing the option of turning over the airport 100% to the city of Shawano.
Currently, the two governments share costs for airport operations, and a joint commission that has jurisdiction for the construction, improvement, equipment, maintenance and operation of the airport.
“I don’t see any benefit at all coming out of the airport for the county besides spending money,” Supervisor Tom Kautza said to the county’s public property committee Dec. 7. “I can see no real benefit for it, of what it produces around here. It’s nice to have, but it’s another one of these things that’s nice to have, but how many people really use it, and what’s it do for everybody.”
Many municipalities began operating airports in the 1940s. The Shawano airport was dedicated in July 1940.
“That’s around World War II, and this is such a different time,” Kautza said. “That’s when they were building radar bases and everything else. I simply can’t see where what it would gain, with Green Bay’s close proximity, Appleton airport, central Wisconsin on the west end.
“And the grand plans that they have coming up for a seaport and all this other stuff. Who’s going to use that seaport?”
Supervisor Randy Young, who represents part of Shawano, is opposed to the city going it alone. He noted recent discussions he’s had with Mayor Bruce Milavitz and City Administrator Eddie Sheppard.
“I asked them to convince me why it’s a good idea for the city to take it over,” he said. “Their answer basically was just because the county wants out, and we don’t want it to go away.”
Several days after the meeting, Milavitz and Sheppard confirmed Young’s comments.
“These talks (about going our separate ways) have been going on for some time,” Sheppard said. “We believe the airport is an important asset to the community. We are OK with the county transferring its levy responsibility, but this process can take up to a year, so no changes will be made until 2025.”
The airport commission is another sore spot for the county board chairman.
“The airport commission doesn’t want to answer to anybody,” Kautza said. “And the city will not give up on having the airport commission.”
Jim Davel, county administrative coordinator, said the county preferred disbanding the commission and hiring an airport director to report to the city.
“We thought that was a good plan, and they just didn’t want to do that,” he said.
Milavitz said the city has not had any issues with the commission. It operates completely above board and determines rates and other costs based on a fair market analysis.
Kautza said the airport was another “money pit” for the county.
“It’s the most inefficient run operation that is getting government money, and to tell you the truth, that’s one of the things I can’t stomach about it,” he said. “There’s no sense of where the money is coming from, and it’s like when they come with something, they’re demanding it, that we have to do this.”
Kautza said Milavitz, who sits on the airport commission, also helps set the rates for himself as a member of the commission.
Supervisor Jerry Erdmann agreed.
“The county, we get nothing out of it,” he said. “They have ideas, but their ideas are just going to cost the county money.”
Young disagreed.
“I’m probably not going to support it, because, from the city, I don’t think it’s maybe the best idea for the city to go alone,” he said.
Milavitz said the county’s position is based on a lack of understanding on how the airport commission works, as well as a personality conflict that has little to do with the airport.
“The airport is a great asset for the community — the city as well as the county,” he said.
The county pays about $75,000 a year from its general fund for the airport, and upwards of another $25,000 for capital improvements when requested.
A resolution for the county to pull away from the airport will be discussed at the January county executive committee meeting.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
County wants out of airport business
