Phase 2 of Chicago Executive Airport study on hold

The second phase of Chicago Executive Airport's master plan study remains on hold until legislators and the governor can agree on a budget.

The study is expected to cost $350,000 — half funded by the airport, half by a matching grant from the state. It will examine the current use and potential of the airport through surveys and interviews with airport operators. An evaluation of current airport property and its economic and redevelopment potential is also a component of the study.

But Chicago Executive Airport Board Chairman Robert McKenzie said the study will likely be delayed until the state can distribute its portion of funding for the project.

If the airport gets too far into the study without the state's participation, he said, the state could yank the grant.

“It's a question of how far down the path we could go before we lose the match. And right now $175,000 is not money we want to lose,” McKenzie said. “But it doesn't mean that at some point in the future we want to put the brakes on this permanently waiting for the state to get things sorted out.”

When the state promises matching grants, it can participate in and monitor the distribution of funds to contractors, McKenzie said.

“But if they don't have a chance to participate, they question whether or not the money should have been disbursed and their guidelines say if they're not part of the process, then they don't match,” McKenzie said.

And until a budget agreement is reached, the state can't participate.

McKenzie said the airport hasn't yet reached crunchtime on deciding whether to move forward without the state funds, but more details will likely be known in October.

Brian Welker of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, the consulting group hired by the airport to conduct the study, said the firm has started a few “baseline” tasks in the study.

“We've done some administrative type items, not any immediate deliverables or anything yet,” Welker said.

It's been more than 30 years since the airport last came up with a master plan, Welker said, and the FAA recommends it be done now.