The Carrot and the Stick

Many improvements have taken place over the years, not only in the private sector but also on the governmental level. One area, however, has created controversy and has yet to be resolved.

The need for, and improvements to, a local airport have had proponents and opponents for a number of years. There are those who say handy air transportation is vital to the luring of industry and other business to rural America. Opponents say the need is overstated and the cost is too high. Others say that if the need can be documented then the cost ought to be shared by the whole county instead of Auburn alone, which it is now.

In April of 1983 the Auburn city council authorized a study after an engineering firm owned by Richard Snyder told the local board he had expertise in obtaining federal funds. He said a successful application for paved runways could bring 90% federal funds, five per cent from the state and the remaining five per cent from the city. Based on the estimates at the time, the total cost would have approached $750,000, meaning the cost to the city would be $37,500.

In November of 1984 Snyder informed the council the city would have to demonstrate a need for the federal funds. In order to do so they would have to make certain improvements. His plan envisioned a new hangar for $40,000 (all local money) and a new administration building, which could be built with 50% of the money from the state and 50% locally. After all this, the city’s share of the runway paving would be only three per cent, a mere $22,500.

In May of 1985 the council opened bids on a 4-place hangar. The carrot continued to dangle. In July of 1986, the council was told they could improve their chances of getting federal money if they would only authorize funds for land acquisition, since the current runways were not long enough. In November of the same year, Snyder urged the council to continue the project, claiming that he had a verbal commitment from the state aeronautics board “to consider” funding. In 1987 the city finalized negotiations with Dr. C.A. Reid for additional land adjacent to the airport.

In 1989 a low bid of $98,500 was received for grading, seeding and fencing at the airport with the cost being shared by the state and city. In 1991 an engineer was hired to apply for federal funds for the long sought after paved runways.

In July of 1993 the council was asked to request additional funding. They had been tentatively allowed $200,000 for asphalt paving but bids came in over that amount and were turned down. Councilwoman Mary Kruger asked that additional funds be allocated so they could go for concrete paving. Not only did the additional funds fail to get council approval, the original request for $200,000 rescinded.

Efforts to pursue the project continued in 1995 and it received the endorsement of the Auburn chamber of commerce. In July the city council voted 4-1 to look into forming an airport authority. At the August meeting, however, the proposal was defeated on a vote of 3-2 with four votes needed from the six members (one was absent).

In 1997 Councilwoman Kruger said the ten-year struggle was not worth it since now runway lighting was recommended to secure federal funds. However, in September of that year 4,000 feet of runway lighting was installed at a cost of $55,000 with the local Board of Public Works doing most of the work. Actual out of pocket cost to the city was 20%.

The struggle continued on. In 2003 the city council finally voted to form an airport authority and it is currently being organized. The irony of the airport saga is that Nebraska City applied for funds in the late 1990s to build a new airport and within a comparatively short time had approval. The new facility, about 15 miles north of Auburn and five miles south of Nebraska City, is now in use.