Portage Airport Could Close Under Proposed Resolution
Aug. 22—Eyeing the land for potential development, two members of the Portage Common Council are proposing a resolution that could determine the future of the city's airport.
The resolution, which the council is set to take up on Thursday, does not call for closing the Portage Municipal Airport yet. But it would, for the first time, direct city staff to inquire with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Bureau of Aeronautics about what it would take to shut down an airport.
A separate measure also scheduled for a vote Thursday would abolish the Portage Airport Commission, which oversees the operation and management of the airport.
"If the city gets rid of the commission, it would have to hire people from city hall to run the airport, who probably don't want to do it, or know how," Airport Commission chairman Barry Erath said.
The resolution authors, Allan Radant, District 1, and Eric Shimpach, District 6, could not be reached for comment Monday.
But Portage mayor Mitchel Craig said the pair are looking at the site, which some view as a "hobby airport," for future development and tax revenue.
"Without a doubt, the airport is 110 acres of prime real-estate within the city of Portage," Craig said.
The resolution would also free up 75 acres across the street from the airport, which currently cannot be developed because it is in the path of the runway, officials said.
Owned by the city, the Portage municipal airport operates the only paved runway in the county, according to officials. It averages roughly 91 aircraft operations per week and already has had over 130 operations this month, said Portage municipal airport manager, Eric Peterson.
"Business people fly in and out of this airport, who do millions of dollars in business in the city every year," Peterson said. "(The aldermen) are missing the big picture."
The airport's longest runway is only 3,770 ft, which limits use of the runways and hangers to smaller planes and jets.
Portage's new city administrator, Michael Bablick said he only recently learned that discussions surrounding the airport and its future have been going on for the past 30 years. Some of those resulted in tentative plans to re-site the airport but none were followed up on.
"It isn't a surprise to me that this meeting is happening," said Bablick "Just because of how long this has been an issue."
Because the current airport doesn't receive any federal funding, it is not required to meet all FAA guidelines, Peterson said.
A brand new airport could take nearly 20 years to build and cost upward of $3 million, Craig said. The FAA's national plan for future airports "does not have Portage on the list," officials said.
The closest municipal airport is in Reedsburg, which is roughly 30 miles west of Portage.
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