Oskaloosa council approves amended South Central Regional Airport agreement after heated debate

The Oskaloosa City Council voted Tuesday to approve an amended and restated "2080" agreement with the City of Pella that revises how the South Central Regional Airport (SCRA) board may proceed with land acquisition and construction. Mayor (speaking for the council) said the revisions reflect a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling and require that the SCRA receive approvals from both city councils before advancing further work.

The measure drew hours of public comment and council debate. Resident John Banchro, who identified himself as living in rural Mahaska County, described a family farm with generations of ownership and warned that "if the airport is built, they would not be able to do that," urging council members to consider property rights and eminent-domain concerns. Nick Ryan of Oskaloosa's Ward 3 urged the council to "make a choice that doesn't put the regional airport on pause, but ends it once and for all," saying decisions must respect individual property rights and government transparency.

Council discussion split along lines of principle, risk and economic opportunity. A councilmember who said they had long supported the project but now opposed it argued the process lacked public accountability and said, "I'm gonna vote no on this tonight," citing higher-priority city needs including a $70 million-plus wastewater treatment project and housing shortages. Other councilmembers urged caution about withdrawing, noting the SCRA holds assets and that amending the agreement preserves options for future development and complies with the court decision. One councilmember said the FAA had not ordered the project to cease and that amending the agreement keeps the city's options open.

The council opened and closed a public hearing on related zoning membership changes earlier in the meeting, but the airport debate dominated public comment and the council's discussion. After a roll-call vote the mayor announced the amended 2080 agreement had passed. Several council members expressed reservations or said they would vote against the measure during debate.

The agreement text, as described at the meeting, includes provisions requiring council approval before further land acquisition or eminent-domain actions and assigns 50% responsibility for net expenditures of the airport in one article. The mayor emphasized that approving the amended agreement does not waive the city's right to pursue damages from Mahaska County as allowed by law or the original agreement.

Next steps: the city will implement the revised approval requirements included in the amended agreement; no immediate land acquisition or construction may proceed without both partner councils' approvals, per the new language. The council did not set an implementation timetable at the meeting.