South Central Regional Airport Agency votes to pause airport plan

PELLA, Iowa — The South Central Regional Airport Agency voted on Wednesday to pause the planned new airport project, because they cannot buy enough land to construct the project.

The agency voted unanimously on a resolution to hit pause. Here is that resolution.

“The South Central Regional Airport Agency is unable to complete the necessary land acquisitions for the proposed regional airport, the SCRAA will not pursue the regional airport until instructed by the City of Oskaloosa and the City of Pella.”

“We got is some property owners that are unwilling to sell currently, which obviously they’re prerogative and so but we hold about 2/3 of necessary for the airport,” said Mark Hansen, SCRAA Board Chair. “In the meantime, the city of Pella wants to do some work on airport because of some regulatory issues with the FAA, they only had one thing going at a time so we’re we’re putting it on hold, we’re not canceling this project.”

Critics of the project say the agency should sell the farmland they bought for the airport, so the project would go away.

“There’s definitely more they could do,” said  Alicia Helm, of Oskaloosa.  “They could just say we’re done with the project and sell the land back to whoever wants to buy it. No one wants it. We voted it down in 2005 and yet here we are how many years later still fighting this.”

“So as long as they own 379 acres of farm ground, the SCRAA will never quit,” said Dave Prine, who farms right next to the proposed airport. “Once they’ve sold the ground, then I believe that the airport is a done deal.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.