Despite nearly 90 minutes of closed-door discussion Tuesday night, the Jacksonville Airport Authority took no action on the pending eviction of longtime aircraft mechanic Irv “Klem” Klemmensen — leaving in place a January 15 deadline for him to vacate his hangar.
The Airport Authority met January 13 for its monthly meeting, with Klemmensen’s lease listed for discussion in executive session. Before the board went behind closed doors, five speakers addressed the board during public comment, urging members to reconsider their decision not to renew Klemmensen’s lease or at least to provide an extension of time for him to vacate the hangar.
Those speakers included Klemmensen’s son, Mike; Klemmensen’s longtime associates and aviation mechanics John and Charles Oakes; pilot Tom Alcott; and hangar tenant and former Illinois State Police officer Dennis Butler.
Several speakers focused on Klemmensen’s long-standing contract with the Illinois State Police, which he has serviced since 1982. Supporters noted that state police aircraft — some equipped with sensitive surveillance equipment — have routinely been housed in Klemmensen’s hangar without security concerns. Mike Klemmensen, who is a director of aviation for John Deere, says that grant assurances attached to FAA rules and regulations are being followed. He went on to ask that his father be given until October 31 to leave the hangar.
Retired ISP officer Dennis Butler said he came to the meeting specifically to hear both sides of the argument after reading the news about Klem’s eviction on the Internet. Butler says that fairness to both sides is needed and he believes that the October extension would be the best course for a resolution in the case.
John Oakes, who works in Klemmensen’s hangar, expressed concern that removing Klemmensen could disrupt ongoing maintenance and increase costs to taxpayers. Supporters say forcing Klemmensen out before his contract expires in June could require the state to seek maintenance farther away at higher rates, thus costing state taxpayers more money.
After public comment, the board entered executive session at approximately 6:30 p.m. to discuss the lease. The closed session ended around 7:50 p.m., but when the board returned to open session, no vote or action was taken.
Because no action was taken, the Airport Authority’s earlier decision stands, and Klemmensen is still required to vacate the hangar by January 15.
The 80-year-old Klemmensen has operated Klem’s Aero Repair at Jacksonville Municipal Airport for more than 40 years. The Airport Authority has said its decision is based on FAA and Illinois Department of Transportation regulatory and compliance concerns that are tied to grant money to rehabilitate and update the airport. Klemmensen and his supporters dispute those claims, arguing that the rules have been selectively enforced and influenced by longstanding personal conflicts both at the airport and elsewhere.
With the deadline now just days away, Klemmensen faces the possibility of removing decades of tools, equipment, and aircraft projects in the middle of winter — a move supporters say could disrupt both private aviation and state police operations.
For now, the board has left the issue unresolved, and the eviction timeline remains unchanged.