Mahaska County residents still leery of local airport

Apr. 3—OSKALOOSA — A representative from the Iowa Department of Transportation discussed the impacts of Iowa's aviation system with members of the Mahaska County community, where the potential for a new local airport remains controversial.

The discussion took place at the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors' regular meeting Monday morning, where Stu Anderson, director of the Iowa DOT's Transportation and Development Division, presented information focused on the economic impact of aviation in Iowa. Board chair Mark Groenendyk told the watching audience that the presentation was for information purposes only, and that no action is currently scheduled to be taken regarding a new airport.

"This is a time for the public to get educated and have a conversation," Groenendyk said. "This is not about this board, this is about this community. It's about 'everybody gets to have a say in their government and the actions their government takes.'"

Anderson presented data based on the Iowa DOT's analysis of the economic impacts of Iowa's aviation system, a study that occurs once every 10 years. The data Anderson presented was from the most recent study, completed in 2022, and examines not just passenger travel, but the many other ways aviation is utilized in Iowa.

"Aviation really has very broad impacts in the overall state economy," Anderson said. "There are many different kinds of aviation activities that contribute to those economic impacts ... We have air cargo that is undertaking at Iowa's airports. We have military uses of airports. We have access to aerial applicators for ag land that happens at a lot of our airports across the state. So aviation activity in all forms and from all corners of the state generates economic impact."

According to Anderson's data, Iowa airports support a total of $1.8 billion in economic activity, as well as 17,000 total jobs through three main areas of impact: on-airport activity, construction investment and visitor spending.

Anderson also spoke about enhanced airports, which are airports with runways that are over 5,000 feet. They provide "services for a wide range of aviation activity," according to Anderson's materials. These airports, he said, have the potential to be economic centers for regions. They support business jet operations, among other general aviation activity.

Currently, there are 16 enhanced airports in Iowa, with locations that include Ottumwa, Newton and Marshalltown. These three locations have total economic activities of $9,684,400, $5,894,900 and $5,124,700, respectively.

Anderson added that Iowa has more than 25 aerospace businesses that provide an economic impact to the state. These include Collins Aerospace in the Cedar Rapids area and Arconic in Davenport.

Mahaska County residents remained skeptical about the value of a new airport in the county and questioned why, when nearby communities like Ottumwa and Newton already have enhanced airports, Oskaloosa would need one too.

"If we did get a regional airport here, won't that take away from profits that's being generated in Ottumwa, Newton and Des Moines? Doesn't it all balance out somewhere?" Howard Westercamp, of Mahaska County, said. "Which means there is no advantage to it, because we're just taking from somebody else."

Anderson explained that, while to some extent economic activity does move from one area to another, the Iowa DOT also finds that creating more infrastructure does prompt economic growth.

"We find that it also spurs new development to the state of Iowa, as you have more convenient access and services ... The level depends on a specific site and location, and what those opportunities are," Anderson said.

Joe Warwick, of Mahaska County, said he favored a local airport because of the people and business it would attract.

"I believe that it would enhance our community very well ... We think of the people that fly out of here utilizing it. We've got to remember that these businesses out there have customers that fly in, and they want a good facility to fly to," he said.

Regardless of the economic impact an airport might have, the nuisances, safety concerns and use of farmland that an airport would cause remained sticking points for many Mahaska County residents.

Curtis Van Der Hart, of Mahaska County, expressed his concerns about incoming planes being flown over houses at the Westlake Development near Oskaloosa.

"A lot of the air pilots will come in from a distance," Van Der Hart said. "But then you have some of these daredevil pilots ... You have some of these pilots that will fly directly, right over top of our housing ... So it becomes a big concern for us, especially over here in the Westlake Development."

Van Der Hart shared his concerns about noise pollution as well.

In the end, some Mahaska County residents remained unconvinced of the benefits that come with constructing a local airport outweighing the costs it would bring.

"There's trade-offs to be had," Westercamp said. "One of the trade-offs is, I don't want to pay taxes to the City of Oskaloosa to have an airport breathing noise in my backyard at three o'clock in the morning, which is where they would be making noise, is in my backyard. I think everybody will agree, if it's not your backyard, you don't care what happens. This is in my backyard, and I can get kind of passionate about it. And just remember, if it can happen in my backyard, it can happen in your backyard."

The discussion follows last year's Iowa Supreme Court decision that the 28E agreement establishing the South Central Regional Airport Authority, or SCRAA, is unconstitutional. The purpose of the intergovernmental agreement was to construct a regional airport between Oskaloosa and Pella, because the cities each had municipal airports that were no longer adequate for area needs.

The court ruling found that the 28E agreement establishing the authority from Mahaska County and the cities of Pella and Oskaloosa was illegal because it required the county to obtain permission from both cities before leaving the agreement. The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to leave the authority in June of 2022 following years of public scrutiny and backlash regarding the project.

To date, representatives of the SCRAA have declined to comment about the project's future.

In other news:

— The board voted to award the $1,152,958.40 contract for the Old Highway 163 Portland Cement Concrete Overlay Project to Manatt's Inc.

Channing Rucks can be reached at crucks@oskyherald.com.