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Board weighs $500,000 regional aviation development fund to attract and sustain airline service at CWA
Summary
Supervisors discussed a proposed Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) regional aviation development fund that would match Portage County and Marathon County contributions to provide start-up support and minimum-revenue guarantees for airlines; supporters said action now is needed to secure service, while critics warned of subsidizing carriers.
Marathon County supervisors debated on June 19 whether to authorize county staff to include a contribution to a proposed regional aviation development fund designed to help attract or sustain airline service at Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA).
The resolution before the board (Res. 39-25) would authorize county participation in a $500,000 aviation development fund proposed jointly with Portage County; the proposal assumes the two counties would provide $250,000 collectively and the remaining $250,000 would be raised from non-county sources. County staff would build the proposed contribution into the 2026 budget development process.
Questions at the meeting centered on purpose and timing. Supervisor Mike Lemmer said he was concerned about prioritizing the fund in the face of federal- and state-level fiscal uncertainty that could affect critical human-service programs. He asked whether the fund'and the airport'should wait until the county's 2026 budget is clearer. By contrast, Vice Chair Chris Dickinson, who also serves on the airport board, said timing matters: "This is the time to do this this summer. So to sit and wait for the budget, which would be November, and then try to make a budget adjustment really throws away an entire year of opportunity." Dickinson added he has "tremendous trust in the CWA administration. They have done great things there." (Dickinson is vice chair of the county board and an airport board member.)
Airport director (unnamed in the transcript) told supervisors that matching county contributions would make outreach to other funders easier and that the regional fund would be complementary to the airport's existing air-carrier incentive program. The director said the incentive program, recently updated, already includes landing-fee waivers and terminal-fee reductions; the new regional fund would provide additional resources such as limited minimum-revenue guarantees or marketing support to help a carrier start service or cover initial shortfalls.
Supporters argued the investment could stimulate more passengers and business travel. The airport director and some supervisors said smaller carriers or a low-cost entrant can increase regional traffic and raise awareness of local service, which in turn can strengthen the airport's long-term viability. Opponents warned such funds can amount to short-term subsidies that do not guarantee a long-term carrier commitment and urged caution and firm contractual terms.
The board did not adopt a county contribution at the June 19 meeting; staff were directed to include possible funding in the 2026 budget-development process and to continue outreach to potential private and philanthropic partners.
