Marathon County committee backs $150,000 seed for Central Wisconsin air‑service fund

The Marathon County Extension Education and Economic Development Committee voted to recommend that $150,000 be included in the county's 2026 budget as seed money for a Central Wisconsin Air Service Development Fund aimed at underwriting minimum revenue guarantees to attract new or expanded service at Central Wisconsin Airport.

The fund would provide a temporary financial safety net—known as a minimum revenue guarantee (MRG)—to cover revenue shortfalls for startup routes during an initial 12–24 month period, according to Brian Griefy, who presented the proposal. Griefy said the fund is intended to “level the competitive playing field” for small airports and would only be used if an airline’s actual revenues fall short of a pre-agreed target.

The proposal presented to the committee seeks an initial county contribution of $150,000 as seed money toward a larger local fundraising goal (Griefy said $500,000 is a near-term target and $1.5 million a longer-term target for daily legacy routes). Griefy described the MRG as a short-term tool, not an ongoing subsidy, and said the fund would be managed by an outside entity with public reporting and clear performance metrics.

Committee members asked how the money would be used and whether it would be repaid. Griefy said the county contribution would be a community contribution, not a loan to be repaid directly to the county, and that any payments would only cover documented shortfalls after other carrier revenue (fees, baggage, ancillary charges) is applied. He also said community partners such as Portage County, area foundations and business groups would be solicited for additional funding.

Some supervisors expressed concern about the focus on seasonal leisure routes; Supervisor Rosenberg said seasonal service “sounds like cheap vacations” and questioned economic benefits. Griefy and others answered that both business and leisure traffic matter for route sustainability and that data (including prior experience with Avelo) indicates some seasonal routes can produce high load factors and help retain passengers who currently travel to other airports.

Chris Dickinson, chair of the airport board, and other supporters said local business use and community advocacy influence route success. The infrastructure committee had previously approved forwarding the request; the Extension committee then voted to forward the $150,000 seed request for inclusion in the 2026 budget.

Motion and vote: Vice Chair Feifrick moved to encourage and support development of a Central Wisconsin Air Service Development Fund in the amount of $150,000 in the 2026 budget; Supervisor Unger seconded. The motion passed with opposition recorded as two no votes.

The action directs administration to include the $150,000 allocation in the 2026 budget process; any actual disbursement would be contingent on additional fundraising, route agreements and governance terms to be developed later.