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• New Richmond Municipal Airport is on the grow
• Volunteerism starts out young at New Richmond's County Health Center

By Bob Zientara

As March gave way to April last Monday, a pile of lumber, wooden roof trusses and other materials appeared in a vacant lot close to New Richmond Municipal Airport.

There, on the north end of the runway at St. Croix County's busiest civil air facility, another hangar was about to be constructed.

About a dozen hangars have sprung up since the airport opened a new taxi way and hangar area late in the year 2000. According to Airport Manager Mike Demulling, the construction is an indication of the airport's popularity among private pilots.

But more importantly, it's a signal that the airport is becoming an important destination for hundreds of business flights - and an invisible boost to the New Richmond economy as a result. The FAA estimates that New Richmond Municipal Airport has more than 30,000 individual takeoffs and landings each year. An increasing part of that traffic is business aviation.

Local economy benefits

The airport contributes a steady stream of income to local businesses.

Motels, restaurants, car rental agencies, retailers and other area businesses serve pilots, passengers and private and business visitors who arrive at the airport.

"Recently, I received an e-mail from an individual in Florida who will be flying in to New Richmond the second week of April," said Demulling. "I made motel reservations for him for three nights.

"On another occasion, I loaned out a vehicle to a charter pilot who went downtown for lunch," he continued.

"Judging by the number of pizza boxes and sandwich wrappers in the pilot lounge (that's all pilots eat, I guess), the restaurants are doing well. We even have people fly in to attend events like camping in Somerset, Cedar Lake Speedway, and golfing at the New Richmond Golf Club."

Bearing the (tax) burden

The expansion of the airport benefits New Richmond businesses (and taxpayers) in a variety of ways.

Hangars produce lease payments ($640 per hangar) to the airport, which uses the money to maintain the facility, plow snow, cut grass, etc.

Total lease fees should amount to around $44,000 by the end of the year.

"Other taxes and lease fees from farmland will bring our revenue levels to around $48,500 for this year," Demulling added. "For comparison's sake, we brought in around $10,000 in lease fees in 1997."

While accurate figures aren't available yet, it's estimated that the value of all the hangars is in the neighborhood of $3 million, which will produce total property taxes of about $70,000 this year.

The city of New Richmond will keep $32,000 of that total, with the remaining $48,000 going to New Richmond School District, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, St. Croix County and the state of Wisconsin.

The airport keeps all property tax revenue payable to the city - together with the lease money.

But it takes a lot more than the $32,000 in property taxes and $44,000 in lease payments to run the airport. Federal funds help out in this area.

Demulling said that 80 percent of capital improvement projects (new taxiways, runway improvements, etc.) are funded by the FAA and the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics.

"Their revenues come from taxes imposed on aviation fuel, aircraft registrations, airline ticket taxes, etc.," he added.

The remaining 20 percent of capital improvement costs are funded at the local level.

"Last summer, we expanded an aircraft parking apron in the north end of the airport in preparation for a new airport business," said Demulling. "The total project cost amounted to around $25,000. Our local share was $5,000."

Center for business aviation

NRMA serves not only as a destination for business flights, but as a home base for eight local businesses. They include:

AB Flight Services - Aircraft maintenance, aircraft charter;

Baumann Floats LLC - Aircraft float manufacturing;

Griggs Aviation - Aviation fuel sales, vending, aerial photos;

Mike Demulling Flight Instruction - Flight instruction, FAA knowledge exams;

DW Aviation - Aircraft maintenance;

Jim Rusch Oil - Aviation oil sales;

Plane Nutz - Pilot supplies, aircraft parts; and

Spinners Aviation - Aircraft maintenance. Additional info is available at: http://www.nrairport.com/fbo.htm Demulling said that three additional aviation related businesses have expressed serious interest in relocating to NRMA.

A business destination

As for the impact of business flying on New Richmond, it's literally all around us, happening every day - in fact, nearly every time a plane lands or takes off here.

"I estimate that around one-half of the based aircraft are used for business purposes at one time or another," he added.

While information isn't kept about every arrival and departure, there are plenty of day-to-day stories that show how important the airport is to local businesses, and (looking at it from the city's end of it) how much of a role that business flying plays in the local economy. Some recent examples:

In early March, representatives from Pamida flew in from Omaha to conduct business at their local store.

"A few weeks ago, a large (firm) in the (New Richmond Business and Technical Park) chartered a local aircraft to fly parts to a business in a western state," Demulling added. "(Recently), I flew three local business people to a meeting in Kansas. A local bank had customers fly in from Milwaukee. A local law firm had individuals fly in from Madison."

A charter flight left NRMA March 15, taking parts for Federal Foam to a customer in North Dakota.

On three different occasions in February, organ recovery teams flew in from Madison to harvest organs from recently deceased individuals. "When the airport was constructed back in 1964, it primarily served the recreational flyer," said Demulling. But business flying plays an ever more prominent role.

"Today, the business aspect of the airport has taken on increased importance. Business flights to and from New Richmond are occurring nearly every day in aircraft ranging from single engine planes to small business jets."

Keeping the public informed

The airport was the subject of controversy several years ago when there was a proposal to lengthen the runway to accommodate larger jets. Area residents were concerned about the possible noise pollution.

"I still receive noise complaints, but, actually (they number only) one or two per year," said Demulling.

Noise- and safety-conscious pilots, combined with adequate airport zoning, are making a difference, and the number of complaints is down. "The National Guard helicopters from St. Paul probably bring the most attention," said Demulling.

The general public is always welcome at the airport.

"I encourage local residents to stop out and take a look at our facility," said Demulling. The public can learn more at the airport website: http://www.nrairport.com

Getting the hang of New Richmond Municipal Airport

The expanding local airport can accommodate up to 77 hangars to store private or business aircraft.

"We presently have 12 hangars up on the north end (of the airport), with 14 more planned for this summer," said Airport Manager Mike Demulling.

The north hangar area has a capacity for 32 hangars, and Demulling estimated that the entire area will be leased by the end of 2002.

The airport owns several acres north of the new hangar area, which will probably be used for future hangar area expansions. Pertinent facts:

Most hangars average around 3,200 square feet.

Hangar owners have constructed either 50-by-50-foot, 60 by 54-foot or 60 by 60-foot hangars. Two 10,000 square foot hangars, and one 13,000 square footer will also be constructed this summer.

Forty-five hangars are located on the south end of the airport. Average hangar size on the south end is about 2,900 square feet.

Each new hangar is worth roughly $50,000. Each owner pays a lease fee of 10 cents per square foot per year for his or her lot, plus personal property taxes due on the building. n Roughly 115 aircraft are based here; of that number, 11 are twin-engine planes. The airplanes range in value from $10,000 to over $2.5 million.

It was a grey Saturday morning before Easter, but some special visitors to the St. Croix County Health Center helped to brighten the outlook for many residents in the nursing home dining room.

Three girls dressed in angel outfits performed hymns ranging from I've Got that Joy (Down in My Heart) to Lord, I Lift Your Name, Shout to the Earth, Amazing Grace and other favorites.

The "Three Little Angels," as they call themselves, competed in the recent 4-H Regional Talent Explosion and earned honorable mention honors.

Cylie Colbeth, 9, daughter of Marie and Rick Colbeth; Kate Keller, 10, daughter of Liz and Tom Keller; and Megan Mitchell, 10, daughter of Mark and Ann Mitchell, were invited to volunteer by their grandmother, Jean Schottler, rural Somerset.

They've been coming to the county home since January of 1999.

"Smiles, thank-yous and clapping for us" are the benefits that the three girls said they get from performing.

"I enjoy (performing) because I see it makes the residents happy," said Colbeth.

"It's fun (to sing) and I enjoy being with my cousins," said Mitchell. "I would tell (people who are thinking of volunteering) that it is worth the time, once they get started." Residents and staff are "happy because a younger person has come" to visit them, said Keller.

As the residents heard the old religious songs, their enthusiasm grew and they began to sing with the girls and, later, Schottler, who led the hymns from a microphone.

Heather Viellieux, 14, the daughter of Dennis and Linda Viellieux, is a New Richmond student who's been volunteering at St. Croix Health Center since last October.

"My mom works at the center and told me who to call," she said. Heather's volunteer work includes reading, talking to and playing games with the residents.

"I also put on movies and help residents with other things, like writing letters," she said. Viellieux is sometimes a resident's only contact with the outside world.

"When I do volunteer work, I get to see the residents smile, and if they don't have family, then, at least, they have someone to talk to," she said.

Viellieux is straightforward about how she feels about volunteering and what advice she would give to others considering doing volunteer work.

"I feel happy, because I feel like I'm making a difference," she said. "If you want to volunteer, you have to make it a privilege. It has to be something you want to do, instead of something you have to do," she added.