Mackinac Island Airport Construction Project Gets Underway
By Karen Gould

A two-year Mackinac Island airport construction project is underway that will include alterations and improvements to the building and the construction of an electrical vault. The Mackinac State Park Commission heard the news as they gathered for their first of three yearly Island meetings that coincide with the tourist season. Commissioners met Saturday, May 27, at Fort Mackinac's 1828 Post Hospital building, which sits high on the east bluff of the fort and offers sweeping views of the Straits of Mackinac.

Phil Porter, director of Mackinac State Historic Parks, provided commissioners with an update on park operations, including the airport project, which is estimated to cost approximately $450,000. Mackinac Island State Park operates the airport, which is on state park land.

The two-phase project begins with the relocation and upgrade of all of the airport's electrical service. All electrical utilities now are contained in the terminal building and the process of moving them to a new and separate building has begun, said Mr. Porter. The new electric vault will be constructed east of the terminal building and tucked into the woods.

Phase two of the project will include the remodeling of the terminal building, which can be the first impression some visitors have of the Island, Mr. Porter explained.

"The building will be a little more ornate and more of a gateway to Mackinac Island," said Mr. Porter. "It's going to be a very attractive building."

The terminal also will include an outside covered area, especially needed during inclement weather.

Commissioners had approved an agreement in March with Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Bureau of Aeronautics. The project is paid for with federal funds that are channeled through MDOT. While the park doesn't have to use any of its own money, it receives the benefit of employing its own crew in the project, which allows it to keep some employees working longer into the fall.

Planning for the airport project began last year and is expected to be completed by May 2007.

The Education Endowment Fund is the focus of Mackinac Associates this spring, said Mr. Porter. More than 58 donors have contributed a total of $15,000 so far.

"The educational programs that we do are probably the single most successful and popular of any public program we have," he told commissioners.

Mackinac Associates is a friends group for Mackinac State Historic Parks. Members raise money for park programs. Last year's spring fundraising appeal by the group supported three new interpretive positions at the park.

A grant of $875 from the Mackinac Island Community

Foundation will make it possible for the park to purchase microfilm copies of all of the Mackinac Island Town Crier editions dating to 1954, said Mr. Porter.

"It's a great opportunity to protect it and to have it as a research tool for our staff," he said.

Money for the grant came from the Foundation's Fund for the Protection of Historic Documents and Photographs, started by the family of former Town Crier publisher, Wesley H. Maurer, Sr.

As part of the agency's niche marketing program that began last year, in which park programs are designed to fit specific groups, the History Night at Michilimackinac program has been expanded by six visits and will total 11 this year. The program offers school-size groups the opportunity to spend the night a Colonial Michilimackinac. Visitors experience 18th century life on the Great Lakes frontier. They sleep in historic buildings, wear British uniforms while marching around the fort walls, cook over a campfire, and participate in a variety of colonial era activities.

The program is successful, both financially for the park and educationally for the participants, said Mr. Porter. He said the staff plans to continue exploring niche marketing programs to continue to use the park's resources while enhancing attendance. Mackinac State Historic Parks also offers similar evening programs at Colonial

Michilimackinac and Fort Mackinac for groups that do not wish to stay overnight.

Mr. Porter said park staff has identified sections of roads within Mackinac Island State Park are in need of repair and he is in the process of applying to MDOT for an Economic Development Fund grant. The funds must be funneled though the Mackinac County Road Commission and Mr. Porter said he would be contacting them with work expected to be done this fall.

Commissioners considered four cottage lease requests during their meeting. Leases typically are for 20 years and the fees are adjusted annually on January 1 by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a rate of inflation. The leases are for the land on which buildings sit, which is owned by the state. Most of the buildings are owned by the leasees and, in addition to the lease fees, their homes are assessed as personal property for city tax purposes.

The West Bluff Croghan cottage, which is for sale, was renewed for two years for $4,876 a year with annual adjustments, with the condition that maintenance issues are addressed.

Owners Holly Anne Mull and Susan Carpenter Allen of Atlanta, Georgia of an East Bluff cottage received a 20-year lease renewal for $2,787 annually, plus yearly adjustments. Also on the East Bluff, cottage owners from Austin Texas, Annakay and Ronald Smith received a 20-year lease renewal set at $2,787

annually, plus adjustments. West Bluff cottage owners Michelle and Randy Stuck of Prudenville received a 20-year lease renewal for $4,876 annually, plus yearly adjustments.

Three subleases for $150 each were approved by commissioners. Subleases on state park leased property are for a minimum of 14 days and cannot exceed more than 28 days per year.

Tara and Mark Steward will lease the cottage of Lydia Pennock of Craftsbury, Connecticut, on the West Bluff for two weeks. Earl Holton will lease the East Bluff cottage of Jane Hegarty and Judith Petersen of the Brighton area for two weeks. Dr. Al and Beth Cafagna of East Lansing will lease Holly Mull's East Bluff cottage for two weeks.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, commissioners took into consideration Islander Kitty Hannabass' request that the Mackinac Island State Park Commission make part of its operating strategy the protection of the Island forest. She was specifically concerned about Norway maples spreading into the woods on the Island's east side.

"I understand we've had financial difficulties, but at some point, my hope would be that we can spend more of the maintenance time in working with this," she said.

Commissioners next meet Friday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the Post Hospital at Fort Mackinac.