The Island Airport.
Once again we have the opportunity to support the Township Airport at the polls. In the primary the ¾-mill proposal was defeated by a handful of votes, in part because of a lack of understanding of how this matter came about.
One aspect of the FAA’s mission is to support the development of small airports, such as ours. To do this they let it be known that we might receive a series of grants, for which we would have to put up between 5 and 10% to qualify. Our airport committee, taking the long view, went for it. Consequently we received over a million dollars for improvements–at a cost of only $48,000. Our strip was widened to 100’ and lengthened to 4,000 as part of a general upgrade that included tree clearing and installing state-of-the-art lighting.
Few people deny that this was a wise move, because year by year this public facility is bound to play an increasing role in enhancing the viability of our growing community. Because it’s municipally owned, it qualifies for further grants. And if Island Airways ever relocates here, a possibility it has begun to explore, it will push its use through the 10,000-passenger plateau, which automatically will bring the State another million and a half in federal aeronautics money.
We need this all-weather landing field as one of the lynchpins for our future prosperity. Considering its importance, ¾ of a mill is little enough to pay.
–Mike Scripps
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