Commissioners vote to take over Portage County airport to improve facility
Two years after the volunteer board that runs the Portage County Regional Airport requested a county takeover, Portage County Commissioners are granting their wish.
Commissioners approved a resolution Thursday to dissolve the Portage County Regional Airport Authority on Jan. 1. The resolution includes an agreement to convey all the airport's "titles, assets, rights and interests" to the county. The one-runway facility is located off state Route 44 north of Ravenna.
The airport board believes county management would put the airport in a better position to obtain federal funding with county support and sees the facility as a tool for economic development. The board also told commissioners in 2021 that it's impossible for an airport operator to make a profit.
Earlier coverage: Consultants finalizing analysis of Portage County airport
Assistant Prosecutor Chris Meduri told commissioners a Common Pleas Court judge would probably need to approve the deal. He said the next step will be to draft a conveyance agreement for the assets.
"We've been waiting to get this done for 20 years," Commissioner Tony Badalamenti said. "I would like to see it done sooner than later."
Meduri estimated that a conveyance agreement could be done by June, but the bigger issue would be preparing deeds for the property. Badalamenti expressed hope that if that work is done by September, commissioners could work on hiring someone to manage the airport.
Last spring, commissioners hired Aviation Management Consulting Group to advise them on the process. In February, the consultants told commissioners they were finalizing their report, but the document has not been discussed publicly. The Record-Courier has requested a copy of the document.
Board members said they have pushed for a county takeover because they see the airport as part of the public transportation infrastructure, similar to a road.
"An airport is something we look at as a pubic asset," said Homer Lucas, vice president of the airport authority.
Mark Atwood, president of the airport authority, said the airport hosts an ambulance for University Hospitals to take patients to University Hospitals Portage Medical Center when helicopters land there. Also, if airport hubs in Medina or Geauga counties are temporarily out of service, helicopters will use the Portage airport temporarily. It's a public use facility, and smaller aircraft can fly in and out of the airport, or stop there for fuel.
Atwood told commissioners in January that the airport, the eighth largest of 93 municipal and county airports in Ohio, is "a huge part of our infrastructure" and is strategically located to serve local businesses.
However, the board's limited budget forces it to come to commissioners whenever there is a need for maintenance or major repairs.
"An airport is part of your public transportation infrastructure," he said.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Commissioners vote to take over Portage County Regional Airport
