While the South Central Regional Airport Agency board voted earlier this month to “pause” the regional airport project proposed in Mahaska County, their next steps indicate movement toward the ultimate end of the proposal.

At Tuesday’s Pella City Council meeting, City Administrator Mike Nardini informed the council about the need to amend a 28E Agreement that was originally set up to create the airport. While SCRAA Chair Jim Hansen indicated the project was on hold until the Cities of Pella and Oskaloosa would authorize future pursuit, the resolution passed acknowledged an inability to further acquire property needed for the space without Mahaska County’s participation. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the original 28E Agreement that bound the county to the project was unconstitutional in June 2022. The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors voted to leave the deal soon after.

Nardini indicated an amendment to the SCRAA governance document would allow the agency to repay the grants approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, which would likely come through current revenue from leases and eventual sale of the land they have acquired. The SCRAA has received $6 million in federal funding for construction of an airport. But those processes are detailed and will take time to make happen, and Nardini says the best course forward is to have the SCRAA board deal with those issues, as opposed to splitting responsibilities with the Pella and Oskaloosa City Councils and other legal issues that would arise with a different entity.

Additionally, Nardini said that the City of Pella received authorization from the FAA to pursue a new master plan for the Pella Municipal Airport, a process that could take up to three months, including solicitation of an engineer and design ideas.

Future action will be needed by both cities to move ahead in any direction as it relates to the SCRAA. Find audio from the presentation made during Tuesday’s meeting here: