Trustees approve municipal airport joint accord
Representatives will oversee Mt. Pleasant airport’s operations
Union Township approved an Airport Joint Operations and Management Agreement with Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County, MidMichigan Development (MMDC) and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
This decision was made at the Dec. 16 Board of Trustees meeting which could be listened to over the phone or viewed on Zoom.
Representatives from all parties involved have been meeting to determine how the Mt. Pleasant Municipal Airport can be better promoted, identify opportunities to increase business activity and what the desired service levels should be.
According to an action request form from Township Manager Mark Stuhldreher, “the results of these discussions is a recommendation to create a joint operations and management structure as outlined in the Agreement.”
Some highlights in the agreement includes,
• Creating a Joint Operations Board with 5 members representing each involved entity that will
serve for 3 years and will guide, set policy and oversee the Airport operations and management.
• The City will continue as the sole owner of the Airport and all personnel shall continue to be City employees or City- contracted service providers. No other party and no Board member shall have any obligation for compensation, including benefits, for withholding or for any other aspect of their employment
• City approval is required for approval of contracts longer than 1 year and to acquire and/or dispose of Airport property
• The Agreement does not establish a new entity. The Board is empowered as provided in the Agreement but is not a separate body corporate and cannot levy a tax or issue debt. The Board may not sue or be sued in its own name.
• The Agreement would take effect on January 1, 2021 and remain in effect until all parties have withdrawn.
• Provision exist in the Agreement for an orderly withdraw of a member should any party wish to exit the Agreement
• To the extent allowed by applicable law, the City is generally responsible for losses arising out of the operation of the Airport and will indemnify and hold harmless the other parties to the Agreement for any such losses, except to the extent caused by the negligence or intentional misconduct of any member.
• The Board will develop and recommend an annual budget for the Airport to the City Manager of the City and the City Commission will approve the fiscal year budget as part of the City’s annual budget approval process.
The agreement will require the Township to contribute $10,000, the county to contribute $ 5,000, the MMDC to contribute $1,000, the Tribe to contribute $ 1,000, and the City to cover the remaining costs which is estimated at $81,600. The costs are expected to contribute toward the operation and maintenance of the Airport.
“Approval of the Agreement will increase opportunities for funding from the state and federal government which in turn will assist with facility maintenance, retention and attraction of clientele and create the potential for expanded services such as internet shipping and aeronautics training activities,” the action request form said. “The Agreement will also provide opportunities to creatively look for ways to expand business activity in support of economic development throughout the region.”