Justin Schneider, Herald Bulletin
justin.schneider@heraldbulletin.com
An unknown developer is driving a proposal for a replacement airport in southwest Madison County.
Anderson City Councilman Art Pepelea has organized meetings between residents of Green and Stony Creek townships and Chris Robergh, who represents the developer, about purchasing land for the project. Pepelea's interest is not as a city councilman, he says, but as a friend of the late Bill Shearer, who envisioned an airport in Madison County.
"I do this as Art Pepelea Jr., businessman," said Pepelea, R-District 5. "I have spent thousands of dollars out of my own pockets to set up meetings and see if we could make this come true. I have no authority to pay for (property). I set in the corner and keep my mouth shut."
Last week, aviation planning firm Aerofinity Inc. announced it had identified a 4,000-acre study site in Madison County for the proposed airport, which would replace Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport in Fishers. Aerofinity was contracted by The Flagship Enterprise Center to perform a feasibility study on behalf of the town of Fishers.
Aerofinity President Sue Schalk said around 1,500 acres are needed for such a project to move forward. Robergh could not be reached Tuesday, but it appears that his clients want to play a role in bringing a proposal to the Indianapolis Airport Authority, which operates Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport.
"Our position hasn't changed," said Lacy Johnson, president of the Indianapolis Airport Authority. "We would consider something if some group or entity, brought a proposal to us if we have site control and if a site meets our needs."
Johnson said the authority owns the current airport property. It remains unclear whether the unknown developer is most interested in capitalizing on the re-sale of Madison County property for a new airport or on the 445 acres that would become available in Fishers.
Johnson said the authority will only consider proposals with widespread community support.
"We have an airport, it's FAA-approved and it meets our present needs," he said. "It's the town of Fishers that is saying 'We would like the airport to be relocated.' We will consider whether it is a viable site."
Pepelea reiterated that he is not part of any investment group and does not stand to profit from such an airport project.
"Absolutely, no," Pepelea said. "I am not making anything, I have not been paid one red cent from anybody. I have not asked to be paid, I do not want to be paid and I would refuse to take (even) a dollar."
Madison County Commissioner Paul Wilson, D-South District, said he was invited by a landowner in the study area to attend a meeting with Pepelea and Robergh. Wilson has expressed concern over landowners selling options with no knowledge of the entities behind the money or their intentions.
"They were offering options on that ground in that area and they wanted an airport out there," Wilson said, referring to the study area. "Pepelea made it absolutely clear that it would be in the city of Anderson."
Others fear that an airport located in southwest Madison County but controlled by Anderson would leave the area vulnerable to annexation by the city.
Wilson's concerns led him to organize a meeting for residents at the Trinity Life Center at the corner of State Road 38 and State Road 13 in early June. Wilson invited several Anderson officials, none of whom attended. Now Wilson has set a second meeting for July 31 with a similar guest list.
"If you ask my opinion, no one's got enough information," Wilson said. "I am very disappointed in the way that they are handling their quote-unquote public meeting. We need good information for the people who live out there. I intend to continue with the process of hosting meetings."
Green Township trustee Greg Valentine said he worries that an airport project will destroy historical homesteads.
"I think they're going to have difficulty getting everybody to sell," Valentine said. "We've had a family farm since 1853. If my kids decide to sell it, well, at least we had 150 years."
Airports are exempt from property taxes and relocation of the airport would generate new tax money for Fishers and Hamilton County while sapping it from Madison County. Valentine estimates Green Township will lose roughly $33,000 in tax revenue should an airport become a reality, although airports often spawn economic development in related fields.
Melvin Purdue of Pendleton owns 140 acres within the study area, but he has yet to receive an offer.
"We're sort of in limbo here," said Purdue, who has lived on the land for 53 years. "We wonder why we've never been contacted, we're right in the middle of it."
Purdue said he no longer farms, but his son does. Several of his neighbors have been contacted by the unnamed developer about selling their property.
During a special meeting to discuss annexation, Pendleton Town Council President Don Henderson seemed to characterize the airport as inevitable.
"With the airport, at some point money is going to prevail over sentiment," he said.