Trending
ESCANABA -- The state of the Delta County Airport and an ongoing investigation into how the airport fell out of compliance with federal regulations were major topics at the Delta County Board of Commissioners meeting this week.
The issue of the airport first came up when Airport Manager Robert Ranstadler took to the podium to give an update.
"When I last appeared before this board, I had the unfortunate obligation reporting that our airport was in a state of administrative crisis. It is with great relief that I could share with all of you tonight that this is no longer the case," he said during Tuesday's meeting.
According to Ranstadler, the airport transmitted approximately 600 documents to the Federal Aviation Administration last month to resolve compliance issues identified in the 2023 annual inspection. The airport has also installed an automatic fuel shutdown system to resolve a compliance issue that has been a problem since 2021.
Ranstadler thanked airport maintenance personnel members that went outside their regular job duties to help bring the facility into compliance -- including Dan DeGrave, John Kell, Tim LaCrosse, John Miller and Mark Viau -- as well as Delta County Administrator Ashleigh Young, Assistant Airport Manager Robyn Morrison, and Past Airport Manager Kelly Smith for their work and assistance. He also described putting in multiple 70-hour workweeks himself to meet the compliance deadlines.
"I merely want to highlight the monument amount of work that was required to meet our deadline, which the FAA graciously extended more than once. The airport avoided or averted being the subject of more serious enforcement actions, which could have potentially included litigation, civil penalties, and possibly the replication of its operating certificate by only the narrowest of margins," he said.
At the end of the report, which included a number of goals and priorities for the coming year, Commissioner Viau said he wanted to go through Ranstadler's past reports with him.
"I'd like to challenge about half of what you're saying only because I feel I have some knowledge on federal/MDOT compliance issues, stuff like that," said Viau, referencing his time as the owner of a motorcoach company.
Later in the meeting, Viau made a motion to halt an ongoing investigation into the activities at the airport that led to the compliance issues until an internal audit is completed by county staff. That motion, while supported by Commissioner John Malnar, failed to gain traction with the rest of the commission.
"I am 100% against stopping the investigation at this point. It's been going on for several weeks now. To stop it at this point I think would be more of a waste of time and money than finishing it out," said Commission Bob Petersen.
Petersen went on to read an email sent to him and to Viau by Kelli Van Ginhoven, who is challenging Commission Chair Dave Moyle in the upcoming recall election, about Ranstadler. The email, which was read in its entirety, was sent on Dec. 15, 2023, and included statements that Ranstadler should be fired or have his pay cut and that money used to fund a part-time position that was being discussed late last year.
"In my opinion, if the current airport manager cannot handle the duties he was hired to do, he should be terminated. He is the highest paid manager, the least experienced," Petersen read from Van Ginhoven's email.
Petersen referenced other statements from people in the community, including some made on social media, he said suggested Ranstadler and Delta County Administrator Ashleigh Young be fired or harassed into quitting.
"We have a gentleman that came in, took control, brought the airport back out of its state of crisis, put us on the right track, has visions for our future for the airport, and certain factions of this community want him fired. And if not fired, they want to pile on him so that he quits," said Petersen. "I think it's the most disgusting thing that I have ever seen. It's wanting to destroy the airport and this county, so that they can get this position up here."
Both Moyle and Commissioner Bob Barron also spoke in defense of continuing the investigation.
"We know the situation was a bad situation and that outside counsel, having them investigate that, is going to show us what exactly is wrong. Because you're saying we don't know that they're investigating -- that's right, that's why you're investigating to find out what is wrong, what has happened, what took place and how do we come up with proper procedures and whatever else so that this doesn't happen again," he said.
When it came to a vote, the board split 3-2 with commissioners Viau and Malnar voting to halt the investigation and Moyle, Barron, and Petersen voting to continue it.