Manchester Council Rejects Airport Expansion, Tables East Main Project

The new Manchester City Council took a stand on several projects during their meeting on Monday night.

The council is putting an end to the airport expansion project, in addition to tabling the 2024 Street Improvement Project on East Main and saying no to the Grand Avenue Extension project. 

The Manchester Municipal Airport expansion project would have entailed acquiring several parcels of land from surrounding property owners. It’s been in the works for several years, with a heated public hearing on the topic last fall. Following that meeting, two residents who questioned the project – Joe Dittrick and Bryan Gray – emerged as candidates for the city council and won election in November. Their votes on Monday night, along with city council member Linda Schmitt, who was opposed to the expansion at that meeting last fall, has led to the shutdown of the project. City Manager Tim Vick says he’ll be working with the city attorney on what happens next.

The new Manchester City Council has also tabled the 2024 Street Improvement Project, which was slated to improve the area of East Main Street from Bailey Drive almost to Stiles Street, with the usual assessments to adjoining property owners.

Vick says tabling that resolution puts the City on a bit of a timeline.

Vick says the Manchester City Council can still take action and decide to do the project without assessing the adjoining property owners.

And it also appears that the Grand Avenue extension will not be moving forward.

If you missed Monday night’s meeting, you can watch it back on the City of Manchester Iowa’s YouTube channel.