ESCANABA — Efforts are underway to find a new provider of mechanical services at Delta County Airport. M&M Aviation, which currently provides these services at the airport, is set to leave the airport at the end of June.

Airport Manager Jeffery Sierpien said multiple businesses operate on Delta County Airport property.

“The mechanic was just one of those businesses, and he has elected to just leave the airfield,” he said.

M&M Aviation is owned and operated by Mark Yankovich.

The impending departure of M&M Aviation is not expected to have a significant impact on the airport’s operations.

“We also have other area mechanics that can come and work here, so it’s not a showstopper,” Sierpien said.

He said the Delta County Airport has gone multiple years without an on-site mechanic in the past.

“A couple of days is not really anything,” Sierpien said.

Work has begun on a request for qualifications (RFQ) in order to find another provider of mechanical services at the airport. This is necessary because the airport is located on publicly-owned land.

At the May 21 meeting of the Delta County Board of Commissioners, Sierpien was given permission to work with Delta County Administrator Philip Strom and the airport’s engineering firm to develop the RFQ.

“Since that time … one company has already shown great interest in providing services,” Sierpien said.

Another company has also expressed interest in operating at the airport. Both companies are based in the Upper Peninsula.

According to Sierpien, the interest shown by these companies has been informal, as the RFQ has not yet been fully developed. He is aiming to get the RFQ ready for release “fairly soon.”

When the RFQ is released, Sierpien said additional companies may express interest in providing mechanical services at the airport. After the deadline for responses to the RFQ passes, Sierpien, Strom and the county will be responsible for choosing a finalist from the pool of applicants.

Those involved with the RFQ believe it will go well.

“We’re very optimistic — we feel that this is a great place to work. There’s a lot of opportunity here,” Sierpien said.