ROGERS CITY — The Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners held off on making any decisions to give away the Leo E. Goetz Airport in Onaway on Friday, but will allow the Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op to conduct the sampling the company needs to learn whether the site is feasible for a new headquarters and service center.

Earlier this month, county commissioners received a proposal from PIE&G, asking the county to give them the property so it could build a headquarters and service center estimated to cost $15 million to $20 million. The proposal from PIE&G was the only proposal the county received for the airport property.

The airport property is one of two locations PIE&G is considering for its headquarters. The other option would be to build a new facility at its existing location at 19831 M-68 Highway in Allis Township.

In the company’s proposal to the board, PIE&G requested the county give away the property, with the condition that the utility pays for the site survey.

County Clerk Ann Marie Main told commissioners on Friday the county would put “the cart before the horse” if it accepted PIE&G’s proposal before allowing the utility to perform the testing. Main said all testing would be performed at the company’s expense.

Tom Sobeck, president and chief executive officer of PIE&G, told commissioners the utility has hired two firms: one firm to do the “soil bores” to determine what lies underneath the ground, and another to conduct the Phase 1 environmental study.

“We’ll know within, ideally, probably three weeks which site works best for us,” Sobeck told commissioners.

Rogers City resident Rachel Goodstein told commissioners during public comment Friday that what is going on is “predictable and unfortunate.” Goodstein said it’s unfortunate county commissioners did not adequately take care of the airport and predictable someone wants the property for nothing.

She said developers always want airports for nothing because the public has paid for what is out there over the years. She said developers also like that the property is flat, well-located and has both electricity and water.

“I just think you have to have more time for more proposals, but it is really unfortunate that something would be given that has so much public money in it,” she said.

The proposal county commissioners received earlier this month also stipulated the transfer of the property take place by Aug. 1 and that PIE&G would also acquire properties adjacent to the airport that are currently owned by the county’s economic development corporation.

The proposal indicated PIE&G would pay the costs required to execute the transfer of the property but it did not indicate whether the company intended to pay for the adjacent properties.

The proposal stated PIE&G is in the process of negotiating a contract with a construction manager and officials anticipate the design process will be completed in the fall. The company’s plan calls for the construction of about 32,000 square feet of office space and about 138,000 square feet of garage and warehouse space.

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