Manchester City Council Holds Public Hearing on Airport Expansion
Over Fifty Residents Show Up to Question the Project
The Manchester City Council held a public hearing on the City’s airport expansion project on Monday night.
The City is looking into expanding the Manchester Municipal Airport’s runway – ten feet wider and four hundred feet longer – to meet minimum FAA requirements. The goal is to make the airport safer and self-sufficient, which city officials believe will help boost the local economy. The federal government would pay for 90 percent of the project, while the City is responsible for 10 percent.
The final cost of the project is still unknown, as it depends on the price of land acquisitions. Several parcels of property surrounding the airport on the west edge of Manchester are needed for the expansion to happen – and while negotiations with two landowners have been reached, three landowners – TNT Farms LLC (Elizabeth Beswick-Todd), Kevin & Mary Offerman and Todd & Angela Summers – have not come to an agreement with the City.
Over fifty residents squeezed into the City Council Chambers on Monday night to share their opinions during the public hearing, with Manchester Mayor Connie Behnken welcoming the large crowd.
For two hours, the council took public comments, which started with the attorneys representing the Offermans and the Summers.
Most of the residents who spoke up at Monday night’s public hearing questioned why this project is necessary.
Several residents also asked if it was possible to build an airport with the FAA’s 90-percent match in a new location. The City says the FAA would need to approve the new location, noting that it would involve more costs and acquiring more land than the current project since the City would be starting from scratch.
Airport committee member Pat Schmitz says the Manchester Municipal Airport was admitted to the FAA NPIAS Program in 2017 and began receiving funds in 2018, with more than $583,000 received to date. Schmitz says if the airport is not brought up to minimum FAA requirements through this project, the airport would most likely lose federal funding in the future – but that’s ultimately up to the FAA.
The City received letters of support for the project from the Delaware County Economic Development Commission, the City of Dyersville and F&M Bank.
After two hours of discussion, the Manchester City Council voted 4 to 1 to continue taking steps forward with the project, with city council member Linda Schmitt voting no. City Manager Tim Vick explains what moving forward means.
Below is a look at the completed agreements, as well as those still in negotiations (as provided by the City).
| Status | Name | Acquisition Type | Size | ||
| Completed | M. Ruth Francois Revocable Trust | Land Purchase ($270,000) | 15.51 acres +/-, including 0.44 acres used as road right of way | ||
| Completed | James Hill | Land Purchase ($32,200) | 2.06 acres +/-, including .89 acres used as road right of way | ||
| Completed | James Hill | Avigation Easement ($4,000) | 1.02 acres +/-, including .23 acres used as road right of way | ||
| Negotiations | TNT Farms LLC, Elizabeth Beswick-Todd | Avigation Easement and/or Purchase | 0.42 acres +/-, including 0.08 acres used as road right of way | ||
| Negotiations | TNT Farms LLC, Elizabeth Beswick-Todd | Avigation Easement and/or Purchase | 0.43 acres +/-, including 0.08 acres used as road right of way | ||
| Negotiations | Todd & Angela Summers | Avigation Easement and/or Purchase | 11.88 acres +/- | ||
| Negotiations | Todd & Angela Summers | Avigation Easement and/or Purchase | 27.53 acres +/- | ||
| Negotiations | Kevin & Mary Offerman | Avigation Easement and/or Purchase | 8.62 acres +/-, including .18 acres used as road right of way | ||
photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH; images courtesy of City of Manchester
