Alpena County Regional Airport makes donation to Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport

ALPENA, Mich. – Alpena County’s Regional Airport made a hefty donation early Monday.

The airport donated a 20 foot runway sweeper to Oscoda’s Wurtsmith airport.

The runway sweeper cleans debris and snow off the runway.

Alpena’s airport recently bought a new sweeper with federal airport improvement funding.

Alpena Airport manager Steve Smigelski said the amount of funding depends on the size and type of airport.

He says the donation to Oscoda will certainly help Wurtsmith use their funding for other improvements.

“Oscoda is a general aviation airport so the most money they can expect from the airport is $150,000 a year, so what we’re doing to help our neighbors to the south is donating our 2004 runway sweeper,” said Smigelski.

Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport said the donation is an upgrade to their current equipment.

“Even though it’s a 2004, it’ll be the newest piece of equipment we have here,” said Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Manager Gary Kellan.” We are still using military surplus equipment that was assembled in the 1950’s.”

Kellan said he’s extremely thankful for the donation.