ROGERS CITY — The fate of the Leo E. Goetz Airport in Onaway was sealed on Thursday when the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 to shutter the runway.

Commissioner Michael Darga was absent from the meeting.

The resolution adopted by the board stated board members believe the closure is in the best interest of the county’s residents. They will petition the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a release of the reversionary interest so the county “can make appropriate disposition” of the property.

Infrastructure at the airport has been deteriorating for some time and the county doesn’t have the money to fund the improvements.

“We determined the Onaway airport is no longer feasible, based on the cost to maintain and the use associated with it,” county Chairman Lee Gapczynski said.

County Airport Manager Alan Stiller told commissioners they had a tough choice to make. He said the problem with the Onaway airport is two-fold — there’s a lack of use and there’s a lack of interest in the airport.

“I think the biggest thing facing Onaway (airport) that may seal its fate is a lack of interest, not just in the last 20 years, but also in the last couple years,” he said.

Commissioner John Chappa wanted to know whether there was a timeline to close the airport.

County Clerk Ann Marie Main said the airport is currently closed for the winter and that there’s a checklist of things they will need to follow to close the airport.

/Rogers City resident Rachel Goodstein said during Thursday’s meeting she was displeased commissioners did not involve the community more in the discussion to close the airport. She also said commissioners will have to “watch out for the dominoes falling,” because if one airport goes, people will begin to seek another one.

She said airports are always sought by developers because they have all the things developers like.

“They’re flat. They’re well-located. They have electricity. They have plumbing and all of that was paid for by other people’s money — taxpayers, federal, state, local — so developers love it,” she said, adding that developers will probably start to look at the Rogers City Airport.

Stiller, the airport manager, said he hopes what happened to Onaway’s airport doesn’t happen to the Rogers City Airport. He said the county needs to come up with a plan to protect the Rogers City Airport.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.