Landowners Share Their Pain At Hearing
Sandra Rempe shares a photo of her relatives working the ground that could be used as part of the regional airport.
Pella, Iowa – The current regional airport project can find its roots in informational meetings at the Oskaloosa Public Library in the fall of 2010. A 28E agreement between Pella, Oskaloosa, and Mahaska County creating the South Central Regional Airport Agency was signed in 2012.
On Monday night, some of the landowners who would be impacted by the airport gave a heartfelt account of the history of their land, and why it’s important to them.
It was all part of a public hearing that sets in motion the land acquisition process for the regional airport.
Mike Nardini, City Manager for Pella, Iowa presented information in regards to process that lead the board to Monday night’s meeting.
The process to build a new regional airport included a site selection process that included 9 potential sites in 2013. “After a lengthy site review, ultimately the board selected and narrowed that down to 3 sites, then eventually its 2 sites that we’re here today to talk about.”
Site A, or the primary site selected, was the focus of the discussion. That site has drawn extra fire because it would require the closing of portions of 220th Street, a farm to market road.
After the selection of the primary and secondary sites, an environmental assessment was conducted, which includes several in-depth reviews from federal and state agencies. In 2017, the FAA issued a finding of no significant impact for the proposed regional airport.
Some landowners at the potential sites have disagreed, saying their land is not for sale, and the airport would be impacting them.
The first landowner or representative to speak was Sandra Rempe. “My position on the airport is I personally don’t think it’s needed.”
“In 1881, we had a lot of things happen. Sitting Bull surrendered, the American Red Cross started, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral happened, and President Garfield was assassinated,” said Sandra in giving some historical context as to when her family purchased the farm. “Also, my great-great-grandfather Joseph Stevenson purchased farmland, which is what we’re here to talk about tonight.”
Sandra shared her personal history in Mahaska County, and spoke about her time working at Pella Corporation during the summers, “packing windows which I really appreciated.”
Sandra said that her career has made the process that is being followed familiar to her, “but I don’t think that necessarily means that it’s a good thing.”
“When I traveled for business, I had to drive an hour to get to an airport. When I landed in places all over the country, I don’t think it ever happened that I traveled less than 45 minutes to get to my business destination,” added Sandra. “We all know that we’ve got airports in Newton, Knoxville, Des Moines, and Ottumwa which are an easy driving distance from Pella and Oskaloosa.”
Sandra shared two photos with the SCRAA Board and the audience in attendance. The first was that of Floyd Stevenson farming the land. The picture depicted Stevenson with his team of horses and plowing the land.
The second photo was that of Floyd’s wife Rosa in a sleigh getting ready to travel to Oskaloosa, where the family sold butter and eggs, among other things that were produced on a farm.
“My family and I respect the businesses of Pella and Oskaloosa and we want to see them thrive. Our business for our family is farming. We want you to respect it and see that it thrives,” added Sandra. “The Stevenson land isn’t for sale and we don’t want to sell it.”
Linda Kruseman from Leighton, Iowa told the board, “I do not support the airport. I would like to say that I represent the farmers of rural Mahaska County and the operations and the businesses that they operate.
“I believe we have established this airport as something not a need but a want. The reasons that it is not needed is that the FAA has established that a regional airport should be within 30 miles of your community. That is done,” added Kruseman. “You say you need it for economic growth, yet the Iowa Economic and Development web page says in order to grow your community you need affordable housing, quality education, good health care, safe streets, affordable and available retail shopping. Those are things that will grow your community.”
“You say you needed to keep your businesses locally and globally connected. And again, according to the Iowa Economic and Development web page, it says the best way to keep any business globally connected is by broadband internet connection,” added Kruseman. “You say you need it to get quicker times to your airport, and yet we heard testimony tonight, most people coming into our community are spending a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes to get to available airports.”
“I believe for those reasons it is established this airport is not needed, but merely a want or a selfish desire,” added Kruseman. “The other thing I’d like to address is the position of eminent domain. Eminent domain is to take by seizure or by force private property. I think we all know that’s the meaning of eminent domain. Bullying, to force someone into doing something that you want them to do. I’m just curious, has this community become so cold and hard-hearted that you would do anything, whatever it takes, no matter what, to build this airport, including bullying, because that is what eminent domain is.”
“I know these landowners,” said Kruseman. “I see the pain in their faces, the tears in their eyes, and I hear heartbreak in their voices. And I’m going to tell you, the way they have been treated has been horrible. I’m going to tell you there’s not a single person in this room, between Pella, Oskaloosa or anywhere in between that would want to be treated the way these landowners have been treated up to this point. It has been horrible.”
Florence Rempe, owner of a farm that would be impacted by the regional airport, addressed the SCRAA Board. “I’m a landowner of a century farm in the area that the SCRAA wants to build a new airport. We have owned this farm for 137 years, and is now being farmed by a 5th generation.”
“Most of the farms in this area are still being farmed by a direct descent of the original owners. This is prime farmland and cannot be replaced,” added Florence. “It is known as some of the most productive farmland, not just in Iowa but the world, according to the airport study that was done.”
“We help feed the world’s people, and there will be more demand in the future,” said Florence. “If the FAA really thinks another land grab is necessary, put it on unproductive farmland. There’s plenty of land available; you just haven’t looked.”
Anna Schaefer addressed the board next. Schaefer is a family member to a landowner who stands to lose ground to the regional airport.
“I’d like to say I represent the younger generations of these farming families,” Schaefer said in opening. “I am in strong opposition to this airport. I want to come here and say that so many times throughout this whole process I have heard so much discussion and jargon, we’re doing this for the future of our community, we’re doing this for future generations. Well, I stand here as part of that future generation. I am telling you it’s not helping us. It is showing, one, it’s going to handicap my personal family’s future. You will take a third of our farm in this project. That is my inheritance, that is my future. That is my children’s future that will be stolen, because it’s not for sale.”
“You are showing the complete disrespect to the future generations, that if a small portion of the community thinks that this is what’s best, you are willing to railroad personal property to get what you feel is a need when really it’s not,” added Schaefer.
“I believe that even though it’s kind of a small portion of the farming community that’s being directly affected by this, I want to remind you that the farming community at large is watching, and they are watching closely to see how we are treated,” said Schaefer. “We are a large contributing part of this community. These farmers have built these communities from the ground up. They were here first. They were here before any of these companies and they have enabled these communities to thrive and grow and be as wonderful as they are, but now they are being stolen from, and they are being disrespected, and they are being shown how unappreciated they are. The farming community at large is watching.”
“I want to remind you, and this is more of a sentimental point, but this is not just dirt. I’ve watched my grandpa, and my grandma, and my mom and my dad, all put literal blood, sweat, and tears into this land, and I believe land is one of our countries most precious and treasured commodities,” Schaefer shared. “So for these families, it’s not just dirt. This is a legacy and a heritage and something that is precious. It’s personal.”
“Maybe for these businesses and for you this isn’t really personal, this is just business, but for us, it is. This is our livelihood and our history and our family’s foundation,” added Schaefer. “I see what’s happening here, and I’m taking note. As part of the future, that so many people claimed to be doing this in the name of, I don’t appreciate it and it’s not for me.”
After the public hearing portion, the SCRAA Board moved on to a vote on Resolution No. 26 that authorizes the acquisition of private agriculture property needed for the project, including the acquisition by eminent domain (condemnation) if necessary. In addition, the resolution also authorizes the acquisition of all other private property needed for the proposed regional airport.
The measure passed unanimously.
Also passed was Resolution No. 27 approving task orders 3 through 11 with HDR Engineering for land acquisition services for the proposed regional airport.
The services include ownership reports and acquisition plats, property appraisals, and property negotiations, assistance with grant applications with a time period for the task order through November 2022.
Resolution No. 28 was also passed, which has HDR Engineering working for the SCRAA as general services such as preparing grant applications, preparing FAA ACIP data sheets, preparing sitemaps, responding to inquiries from the public and government agencies, and attending meetings with the SCRAA Executive Committee and FAA. Total cost not to exceed $58,755.
The board then went into closed session with no action being taken after returning from their closed session.
No date was set for future meetings.
