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Board to consider airport minimum standards, extension of Boreal Aviation agreement

MARQUETTE — The first Marquette County Board of Commissioners meeting of November will be held Wednesday, rather than Tuesday, due to the election. Commissioners will consider multiple action items related to Sawyer International Airport at the meeting to be held 6 p.m. Wednesday in room 231 of the Henry A. Skewis Annex of the Marquette County Courthouse.

One action item to be considered is the adoption of Sawyer International Airport Minimum Standards, which was developed by the Airport Advisory Committee in conjunction with airport staff.

The document was developed with the aim of providing a “fair and level playing field to any and all operators while maintaining specific standards established by Marquette County,” according to a memo from Sawyer International Airport Manager Duane DuRay.

The development of minimum standards will provide a baseline of “guidance and standards for aeronautical businesses wanting to operate on the airport,” the memo states.

According to board documents, the minimum standards, if approved, will not impact any current airport tenants but will provide “clear direction for any future businesses.”

The commission will also consider extending Boreal Aviation’s fixed base operator limited services agreement and lease at Sawyer International Airport for an additional six months, as the current lease and agreement are set to expire Feb. 28 and there have been concerns about the timeline.

“Because Marquette County has not completed the (request for quotation) process for FBO services in the past, developing an RFQ that ensures we do not violate (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations is taking longer than expected,” board documents state. “Staff also realized that the development and approval of Airport Minimum Standards needed to be completed first. There were additional concerns that if the FBO provider was to change at the end of February 2019, the weather could slow and hamper the changeover.”

In addition to these items, the board will also make a decision on providing funding for the additional concrete apron repairs at the airport made under a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Grant.

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is cbrown@miningjournal.net.

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