Airport commission recommends Meinholtz lease amendment and accepts 2024 financial reports

The Middleton Airport Commission on March 6 voted to recommend approval of a fourth amendment to the Meinholtz family farmland lease and accepted the airport’s monthly financial statement and the 2024 operating expense report.

Bridal presented a draft of the lease amendment, saying the Meinholtz family has rented a couple of acres adjacent to the runway "since the early 2000s" and that "the terms, the lease would be the same as they have been in previous iterations." Staff reported no concerns and said the agreement has worked well historically. The commission moved to recommend approval and the motion was seconded; commissioners voted in favor with no recorded opposition. The recommendation will move to the City Council for final action.

On finances, staff displayed current operating statements covering January and February and a summary of 2024 operating expenses. Commissioners heard that the airport operator had been under budget and would return unspent funds to the airport enterprise fund. The commission moved, seconded and voted to accept the financial report and year-end operating expenses as presented.

Both items were routine on the agenda and commissioners described them as consistent with prior practice. The commission’s votes were procedural recommendations: the lease amendment was forwarded to the City Council as a recommendation, and the accepted financial reports will be entered into the city record.

What’s next: The lease recommendation will go to the City Council for its consideration; the financial acceptance completes the commission’s periodic review of operating accounts.