What's Happening in Baraboo, WI…

At a recent meeting of the Baraboo Common Council, the issue of the city contributing $40,000 yearly to the Baraboo-Wisconsin Dells Regional Airport, or alternatively turning the operation of the airport over solely to the village of Lake Delton, was considered.

According to Casey Bradley, Baraboo city administrator, the disparity between the funding ability of the two municipalities is at the heart of the matter, along with differences over the timing of improvements being considered.

Without the money on hand to include airport improvements in its budget, Baraboo is content to wait on making them, while Lake Delton is pulling for the facility’s immediate expansion.

To make Lake Delton the sole manager of the airport, both Baraboo and Lake Delton’s representatives, as the only board members left, would have to be in agreement. The town of Delton and the city of Wisconsin Dells have already voluntarily withdrawn.

Cities frequently include airport information in materials they send to brochure printers.

Concern over removal of the city’s name, according to Bradley, is a moot one. Changing an airport’s name is an enormous undertaking that would first require changing the airports call sign, KDLL. Lake Delton board representative Tom Diehl pointed out an airport’s name represents the area served and saw no reason for it to be changed.

The city may be in a position to give its notice of intent on August 1 with withdrawal finalized on January 1, 2023; however, that timeline could be expedited.