Middleton airport faces new city fee and ongoing RPZ easement cost after council vote
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Summary
City staff reported a new internal charge on the airport enterprise fund and the commission discussed paying $192,300 for use of an RPZ after the common council voted to split the cost 75%/25% (airport/TIF); commissioners noted urgency to move the RPZ off private property to avoid recurrence.
Commissioners heard a financial update on Nov. 7 that included a new city charge on the Middleton airport enterprise fund and an ongoing payment for use of a runway protection zone (RPZ) located on private property.
Staff reported routine October revenues and expenditures but told the commission the city has moved to assess a fee on the airport enterprise fund to cover city staff time associated with committee support. The chair described the charge as a 2% fee in policy terms and staff later characterized the assessed internal charge in conversational terms. Staff clarified federal grants are not included in the assessment.
The commission also discussed an easement payment tied to an RPZ currently located on private land. Chair Lohrmann reported the airport’s share for the current period is approximately $192,300 and noted a potential additional $144,231 could be owed next year if the RPZ remains in its current location. The common council voted to allocate the cost with a 75% share to the airport enterprise fund and 25% from Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District 3 — a change from an earlier staff recommendation for a 50/50 split.
Commissioners said the council decision makes resolving the RPZ location a financial priority and indicated they will continue pushing to move the RPZ off private property to reduce future charges.