DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — County leaders hope to repave one of two runways and the taxiway at the county-owned public-use Door County Cherryland Airport, as well as trim trees for airspace clearance and update electrical equipment.
The project began in 2021. Taxiway repaving went $205,759 over budget, while runway repaving went $279,205 over.
"There were additional costs overruns that happened during project construction," Door County administrator Ken Pabich said. "Then, there was also one area where material was put down that did not pass the compaction test."
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Door County is spending an extra $150,000 for the project.
Pabich says that will not have major consequences for the county.
"It came out of our reserves," he said. "So, it's not going to impact our future budget. Obviously, we'll have to replenish that over time, those funds. But the more important thing was to make sure we could get the project done and the airport open."
Although she and other taxpayers will have to give more money, Margaret Magle, co-owner of Otherworlds Books & More in Sturgeon Bay, says she appreciates the repaving project and its future impact.
"We are a small community that does rely on like Flight For Life (Air Medical Transport)," she said. "That does require an airport. I would rather go to something necessary like that than some of the other things the county spends their money on."
Door County Cherryland Airport tells me that some parts of the facility have been closed during this project. They look to fully reopen next week.
