Previous Proposal Was Rejected In February

The county executive of Winnebago County, WI, said Thursday that he was again proposing a partnership with the City of Oshkosh to create an aviation industrial park next to Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). A similar proposal offered in February failed when county board did not pass the authority to borrow money to purchase the necessary land by the required three-quarters majority.

The newspaper The Northwestern reports that the new proposal would earmark $1 million from the county reserve fund and be included in the county's proposed 2013 budget. That would require only a simple majority of the 36-member board to pass.

County Executive Mark Harris said the plan was a way to shrink the county's investment in the project while increasing the city's stake in the industrial park. He said the existing infrastructure and planned green space would be attractive to potential tenants of the property.

The county property would be adjacent to the airport, meaning it would not be subject to "through-the-fence" restrictions by the FAA. Harris said that would be important in negotiating leases with potential tenants.

The city's portion of the property would be across a yet-to-be-built road, and geared more towards general industry that would support aviation and associated industries. The proposal would have to be approved by both the Winnnebago County Board and the Oshkosh Common Council.

FMI: www.co.winnebago.wi.us, www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us