Board approves airport master-plan alternative, OKs hangar lease and extends management contract

The Sawyer County Board approved a recommended development alternative for the county airport at its Oct. 17 special meeting.

County staff, including Mr. Albarado, and consultants (identified in the minutes as Mike Dmyterko and Mr. Kemper) presented a revised Airport Master Plan that described possible runway realignment, land acquisition and future expansion. Supervisor John Righeimer moved to proceed with the recommended development-plan alternative; Supervisor Randy Neumann seconded the motion. A roll-call vote carried 12–0.

The board also considered a 10-year assignment of a hangar lease for Hangar 10 to James Robert Fox. The hangar lease-extension request and a related resolution waiving the county’s right of first refusal were approved in separate motions; the minutes record voice votes that carried without negative votes.

Finally, county staff presented a proposed five-year extension of the airport-management contract with Hayward Aviation that included a 10% compensation increase in the first year and 2.5% increases for years two through five. Supervisor Marc D. Helwig moved to approve the extension, seconded by Supervisor Randy Neumann; the motion carried on a voice vote with one negative vote recorded from Supervisor Tweed Shuman.

The minutes note that environmental analyses will be completed for any airport improvements the county later approves, and that the county owns the land where the airport resides and must follow Federal Aviation Administration governance in project implementation.