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City to publish RFP as step toward private ownership of Marion Municipal Airport runway
Summary
City staff briefed council on the process and timeline to solicit proposals to transfer the city-owned runway segment of Marion Municipal Airport to private ownership while retaining public airport use; staff plans to publish an RFP, set response dates and hold a public hearing on March 6.
City staff told the Marion City Council on Feb. 4 that the city will publish a request for proposals (RFP) as the next step in negotiations to transfer the city-owned portion of the Marion Municipal Airport runway to private ownership while maintaining public airport operations.
Staff summarized the history: the city purchased the runway segment in 2015; in April 2022 the council approved an updated fixed-base-operator (FBO) lease with Luxaire; an Airport Visioning Team later studied operational costs and options for city involvement. In late 2023–2024 the city—through staff and a council subcommittee—met with Luxaire as Luxaire pursued an investor group to acquire the runway and maintain it as a public airport under private ownership.
Staff said the intended RFP timeline calls for publishing the RFP on Friday following the Feb. 4 meeting, receiving responses by March 3 and scheduling a public hearing and council action on March 6. The RFP will state that the expectation is continued runway operation and airport service under the prospective private owner. Staff said they consulted bond counsel about the process and will set a council resolution on Thursday to establish the RFP response deadline and hearing date.
Council members thanked staff and participants for the outreach and review. No formal council decision transferring ownership was recorded at the Feb. 4 meeting; staff described the next procurement steps and public hearing schedule.
