Officials Step Away Without Forging Solution for Airport Control

By Rosemary Horvath
Herald Correspondent
Alma City Commissioners agreed Gratiot County with its bigger staff and more resources is better equipped to oversee and develop the community airport in Arcada Township, but forfeiting city-owned parcels is off the table for now.
At least this is the assessment of District 5 Gratiot Commissioner George Bailey from a special meeting last week between city and county officials to resolve a lengthy standoff.
Bailey first considered airport restructuring when the topic surfaced during his tenure as county board chairman nearly four years ago. But the Covid pandemic curtailed planning soon after.
At the time, supervisors of Pine River Township and Arcada Township decided to withdraw from the facility’s governing body known as the airport authority, reasoning that taxpayers paid the authority twice – once, from township taxes, and again through county taxes.
More recently, the city balked at forfeiting ownership of at least three parcels on airport property that the county requires as a condition to move forward, Bailey said.
Without that ownership, Bailey concluded the county, which owns eight parcels, would be restricted from improving or making physical changes at the airport without always consulting the city of Alma.
However, Alma commissioners are willing to sell the parcels to the county. But Bailey said the county considers their offer objectionable.
“The county objects to having the taxpayers of Gratiot County pay for property that has been deeded to Alma,” he said, labeling the offer a “sticking point.”
For now, the city will continue with airport oversight “and the people of Alma will, in fact, be having to have their tax dollars put into the airport,” Bailey concluded.
County Finance Administrator Chris Oosterhoff, soon to become the next county administrator, agreed the county isn’t willing to purchase any city-owned parcels.
However, he questioned if land ownership be structured to relieve the county of liability if the airport were to cease operations.
Oosterhoff said he and Alma City Manager Aeric Ripley were made aware of concerns posed by their respective boards.
“Both parties spelled out what each would require,” he said. “They gave Aeric and myself a script on what to do to solve the problem. We will find solutions. We will get it done. (And) get it accomplished as soon as possible.”
A map shows the city owns three large parcels and two smaller ones at the airport. All are locations of airport hangars.
Three Point Aviation LLC has provided on-site airport management and fuel sales for nearly a decade.
Last week’s special meeting took place at the RESD building in Ithaca. Absent were city commissioners Laurie Harrison and Michelle Pitts.