Residents raise airport terminal concerns; council appoints alternate to CWED

During public comment, airport committee member Dan Mower said the committee had prepared funding to demolish the old airport terminal but was told the city assumed responsibility and removed the committee’s oversight and keys. Mower said the committee expected to contribute toward demolition and objected to the shift in responsibility.

John Burke, chairman of the airport committee, provided history of the terminal’s ownership and maintenance, described deferred upkeep and mold, and proposed that if the city removes the building the city leave the power and slab in place so the footprint (he estimated 30 by 80 feet) could later house a snow‑removal shed. Burke said the footprint’s access to the ramp made it a practical location for maintenance equipment.

Council also heard an update from Visit Marshall/Main Street representative Denise Sanwa about joint marketing efforts and a Small Business Saturday promotion and a brief introduction from judicial candidate Elizabeth Giebert. Later in the agenda City Administrator Steve Barr recommended appointment of the city’s finance director as the alternate representative to the Central Wisconsin Economic Development Fund (CWED) board; the council moved, seconded and approved the appointment.

The transcript records community concerns about the airport building’s status and the council’s allocation of demolition contingency in the budget; full details on ownership, formal assignment of responsibility, or a demolition schedule were not specified in the meeting record.