b'18 UES WINTER OPERATIONSCrites Field Gets Innovative to Add Snow Equipment and Seasonal Staff BY MICHELLE GARDNERThree years ago, the busiestand implemented the Corps Improvise,94,000 aircraft operations, with nearly general aviation airport inAdapt and Overcome strategy to quickly16,600 occurring between October and Wisconsin brought all snowacquire more equipment and hire additionalDecember. removal operationspersonnel.The associated equipment and in-house. Service fromAt the time, UES owned a barebonesmaintenance budget was $130,000, with long-term contractorsfleet of snow removal equipment usedanother $50,000 for seasonal labor to had produced mixedby some of its outside contractors. Buthelp airport staff manage the effects of results at Waukeshaswitching exclusively to in-house crewsWisconsins unpredictable winter weather. County AirportCritesmeant the airport needed more units toSome seasonal hires stay on for summer Field (UES) nearkeep its two runways and other airsidegroundskeeping duties, but most are Milwaukee, and AirportKURT STANICH areas clear for winter operations. Staffingasked to reapply each winter due to Manager Kurt Stanichalso needed to increase beyond threeadministrative requirements.and his staff believed they could manageemployeesincluding Stanichto perform the workload more effectively at a lowerWhen asked how long the snow the imminent extra work. It wasnt like weremoval season lasts at UES, Stanich cost.were starting from zero, but it was pretty deadpans, 11 months. In reality, it runs Stanich justified the change to Waukeshaclose, Stanich muses.from October to April, peaking in January. County, which owns and operates UES,The first year after the switch, UESHowever, this season included early and Director of Public Works Allison Busslerhired two full-time supervisors and eightstorms that dropped more than 20 inches agreed that a different approach wouldpart-time drivers. Since then, its winterof snow from October to December 2025. be more fiscally responsible. It took twooperation staff has grown to five full-timeOn average, the airport experiences 20 to years from the initial proposal to officialemployees, 16 part-time drivers and25 snow events per season, with 40 to 46 approval, and the transition began justone part-time Operations staff member.inches annually. before the 2022/2023 snow season. StanichIn 2025, the airport logged about applied his experience in the U.S. Marines March | April 2026AirportImprovement.com'