Caledonia Argus

County board approves contracts for airport leases

Posted: 6/10/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

The county board of commissioners has approved new contracts for land lease at the Houston County airport.

The county leases 15 lots at the airport, renting the land on which the hangars stand, but not the hangars themselves. The contracts which theyíd been using were revolving agreements, meaning contracts would continue year after year without review. The new contracts, which will go into effect this July, are subject to a review every three years.

The new contracts require that tenants must receive county approval before alterations are made to a lot, that tenants, not the county, are responsible for insuring property kept on the lots, and that tenants donít sublet their space without prior approval from the county.

New rental rates for the airport lots were also approved by the board. The last time rates were raised for any of the lots was in the mid-1980s, and since then, most lots were leased at $90 per year. Now, lot rental ranges from $166 to $232 per year, depending on the location of the lot, with lots closer to the airstrip carrying a higher price tag.

The board also agreed to research the possibility of installing a fuel depot at the airport, as well as to contact the cities of Caledonia and Spring Grove to solicit any interest they might have in purchasing the airport.

Commissioner Kevin Kelleher stated that, while he is aware of the argument espoused by airport supporters that the airport brings business to Houston County, he is doubtful that all cities within the county benefit. Since Caledonia and Spring Grove are the two cities geographically closest to the airport, he said, it would be worth the effort to see whether they would be interested in purchasing and maintaining it.

Commissioners Nels Gulbranson and Larry Graf voted against the motion to solicit interest, but Kelleher and Commissioners Ann Thompson and Dave Corcoran voted in favor, so letters will be sent to Caledonia and Spring Grove to determine whether theyíd entertain the possibility of acquiring the airport.

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