Legislation to give Will County local control and to develop and operate the long-proposed South Suburban Airport was passed by the state senate Thursday, April 17.

The legislation will now be heard by state representatives, where it will face additional scrutiny. Already there is some concern about condemnation powers being too far reaching.

Until Friday, April 11 the South Suburban Airport Authority Act was a shell bill, introduced in the state senate by Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete last February. It including nothing more than a name.

But on that day she added an amendment to the bill, providing the text that gave the bill some teeth. She also gave it legs as it moved quickly out of the Executive Committee and onto the Senate floor for its third reading Thursday, April 17. It passed by a vote of 45 to 7.

Two days before the amendment was introduced, A.J. Wilhelmi, D-Joliet and Christine Radogno, R-Lemont also signed onto it.

SB2063 establishes a new governmental entity in eastern Will County, beginning in January, 2009. It gives Will County the majority of members on a seven-member board with five from Will County, as well as one from Cook and one from Kankakee counties.

Two members are guaranteed from eastern Will County. One, a resident of an eastern Will County township will be appointed by the county executive. Another eastern Will County member will be chosen from the five towns that surround the proposed airport.

In addition, three additional Will County members shall also be appointed by the county executive. The remaining two members will come from Cook and Kankakee counties.

The legislation provides that each director will be paid no more than $10,000 annually and will be compensated for incurred expenses. The amount is subject to increases due to inflation.

The authority board will hire consultants, agents, and employees.

The authority will act as a co-sponsor with the Department of Transportation until the FAA issues its record of decision and environmental impact statement or until July 1, 2009, whichever is earlier. At that time, the authority, which will serve as the sole sponsor, will enter into an agreement with IDOT to complete all ongoing projects, including the airport master plan. It will assist the FAA in preparing and approving the environmental impact statement and record of decision.

The authority will have the power to plan, develop, secure permits, licenses, and approvals for, acquire, develop, construct, equip, own, and operate the airport. It also has the power to repair, maintain, renovate and expand the airport.

Development will include all of the land, highways, waterways, mass transit facilities, and other infrastructure that in the determination of the authority are necessary or appropriate in connection with the development or operation of the airport. Development includes land acquisition and development of land or facilities, relocation of persons, and providing replacement housing or facilities that have been displaced.

The authority also requires the state to transfer the title of land purchased in the inaugural airport site with the requirement that the authority will repay the state the same price that was paid to purchase the land, within 10 years.

“This airport is essential to the south suburbs and I am pleased that we are able to move this legislation forward,” said Halvorson. “It brings us one step closer to getting this South Suburban Airport in the position to be developed,”