Committee approves Mark Papko as Dane County Regional Airport director; members press on PFAS and noise mitigation

The Personnel & Finance Committee on June 9 approved Mark Papko as director of the Dane County Regional Airport after a national recruitment conducted with ADK Executive Search.

Staff summarized the search: ADK posted the position, drew about 60 applicants, used targeted industry outreach and the firm's database, and presented a set of well-qualified candidates; Papko was selected after finalist interviews and in-person rounds.

Papko, who began his airport career as an intern at Dane County and has worked at several U.S. airports, described his background in aviation operations and airport finance. Committee members asked about several airport issues that have drawn public attention:

- PFAS contamination: Papko said the airport has transitioned away from PFAS-containing firefighting foams; he described the contamination issue as national and said addressing historical contamination should follow the responsible-party process laid out by governing agencies. He said the airport had stopped uses that would cause future contamination and that remediation should follow the investigation and responsible-party letters from applicable agencies.

- Noise mitigation and F-35 beddown: Members noted the Department of Defense denied a March application for $18 million in mitigation funds for 162 homeowners. Papko said he would work with the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs and other partners to strengthen future applications, manage expectations about funding, advocate with local, state and federal delegation, and implement the airport's noise-compatibility program once the Part 150 study and federal comment period are complete.

- Flight scheduling transparency: Papko said the airport cannot control who flies or when at a public-use airport but said the airport can work with military and other operators to minimize disruptive night operations and provide earlier communication when possible.

Supervisors also asked about promoting nonstop flights and air service development; Papko noted staff participation in industry events such as Jumpstart and the airport's existing air service development work.

The committee approved the appointment by voice vote; the motion carried with no roll-call tally provided in the meeting transcript.

Committee members said they expect the new director to prioritize safety, improve early and clear communication with the community and County Board, and press partner agencies on remediation and mitigation funding.