Because there is no commercial air service at Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, some people forget that the local community even has an airport. Fortunately for the hundreds of aircraft that need the airfield in Benton Harbor, it is a strong and healthy general aviation airport, and voters are being asked tomorrow to protect the investments that have been made there for the good of all of us. Millage renewals are on the ballot in the City of St. Joseph as well as in Benton Township, St. Joseph Township, Lincoln Township, and Royalton Township. Both the City of Bridgman and Lake Township have added the levy onto their ballots this cycle as well.
For each of those communities except for St. Joseph the tax comes to $10 or less per household for a home valued at $200,000, while St. Joe taxpayers average a bit more for the same value of home at $25 or less.
While passenger airliners no longer provide scheduled flights from the local airport (and haven't for years), it is a critical component in the daily success and safety of the entire community, and plays a major role in the future success of the region as well.
Over the past 15 years, federal and state grant dollars have invested more than $36-million in runway improvements, making the airport not only more viable for larger aircraft and cargo planes, but considerably safer for all aircraft using the facility. In the near future additional federal and state funding will help improve the runway safety area, and the millage will help pay for the necessary matching funds.
Additionally, the airport is operating snow removal equipment and other vital machinery that is nearly 40-years old, and newer more reliable equipment will be needed going forward.
The general aviation community has strongly embraced SW Michigan Regional Airport. In fact, every available hangar on the field was occupied this past winter, and airport planners are hopeful of expanding their capacity as demand for space continues to exceed available options despite some 40 such structures on the field. Airport management has been working to build asset reserves to make the additional investment necessary to add space on the airfield for new aircraft and users.
The U.S. Coast Guard not only uses the airport for routine training operations, it is also a critical refueling facility for extended search and rescue operations when swimmers and boaters are missing or in distress. The new extended runway also allows planes to land when weather is too rough for medical helicopters to land at nearby hospitals, improving outcomes and often saving lives.
Whirlpool CEO Jeff Fettig just pointed out in a letter to the Editor of The Herald-Palladium this weekend that he and fellow chief executives Joel Gebbie at the Cook Nuclear Plant and Dr. Loren Hamel at Lakeland Health hope that the community will continue to support SW Michigan Regional Airport along with the more than 150 businesses that fly in and out of the facility. An earlier letter penned by Dan Reifschneider who is President of Accu Die & Mold in Lake Township told of manufacturers who have often needed the airport for time critical parts and personnel to successfully complete business for clients worldwide.
A group of young micro-brewing entrepreneurs reached out in another letter to the editor telling of the importance of continuing to attract new and vibrant businesses to the region and the importance of having a viable airport in the community. Perhaps the note from The Hanson Group's Merlin Hanson, however, said it best when he alluded to his oft-used phrase of "no deposit, no return," implying that if we fail to all make a small "deposit" in our airport we lose the important "return" the community realizes of keeping the air field in first-class condition.
Cornerstone Alliance President Rob Cleveland, the economic development team leader for the entire community, served as co-chair of the Friends of the Airport organization that has been working to get the word out about the importance of a healthy airport in the community. He deals with site consultants virtually every day, and routinely reminds us that those change agents who decide the location of new factories, offices, and other key job providers place access to local airports essential to their recommendations. If you want proof…99-percent of the Fortune 250 have a local airport in their home community.
Our airport added $30-million to the local economy in the most recently tabulated year of 2014. That's what Merlin would certainly call a great return on our deposit. The airport millage requests are on local ballots during tomorrow's primary election, Tuesday, August 2nd.
(Full disclosure…I was an original member of the Friends of the Airport when the organization was first launched years ago to work for passage of the millage and have been an active member in the current campaign as well. I lobbied several local government units to place the millage on the ballot, I have made several presentations to service clubs in the area in recent weeks, and have displayed a supporting sign in my own yard. I strongly support a viable local, general aviation airfield. Thank you for your support.)
