ROGERS — Airport commissioners expressed some concern Monday with the low return rate on a survey designed to determine the wants and needs of local businesses and users of the airport.

Randall Wiedemann, president of Wiedemann & Associates, which was hired to put a business and marketing plan together for the Rogers Municipal Airport, said while more than 100 surveys were sent out only 38 airport users and six business owners, about 33 percent, returned the surveys.

Surveys were mailed to a list of users and business owners and some were sent via email, Wiedemann said.

Jerry Vest, commissioner, asked Wiedemann if the survey results could be trusted with such a small return.

“We got about the response I expected,” Wiedemann said. “We’ve conducted these surveys before and usually get less than 30 percent returned. You can’t force people to return a survey.”

“I guess what I’m asking might be impossible to get,” Vest said.

“I want to know how we can get people who have used the airport in the past to come back,” Vest said.

Wiedemann explained the survey is just one of several tools being used to determine how to improve business at the airport.

“We will know more after we have collected more data and developed some strategies for the airport, that’s when we start working on the marketing plan. It’s the marketing plan that should provide you with answers to your questions,” Wiedemann said.

Gary Jackson, commissioner, wanted to know how many people know the Rogers Airport has customs officers.

“We’ve had customs officers out here for several years. Who uses the customs counter besides Walmart? How do we get the word out?” Jackson said.

“The airport is more than a general aviation, it is a global airport. That’s one of the selling points of this airport,” Wiedemann said.

“I think that Beaver Aviation, as the FBO (fixed base operator), the city, the county and the chamber should work together to promote that aspect and other aspects of the Rogers Airport. Cooperation between such groups will benefit everybody,” Wiedemann said.

There are only two places — Mena, Ark., and Tulsa, Okla. — near Rogers that offer aircraft painting or maintenance, Jackson said.

“We have property on the west side of the airport where we could offer the same services, but I don’t know how to go about getting an aircraft maintenance company to locate here,” Jackson said.

Developing aviation and non-aviation businesses is something that can be done with a good marketing plan, said David Krutsch, airport manager.

“We are going to need some money in a marketing fund to do some of these things. Nothing gets done without money,” Krutsch added.

“We do have the opportunity to get this off dead center and get this airport moving, once the business and marketing plan is complete,” Jackson agreed.

Commissioners will meet with Wiedemann again in April or May when Wiedemann is ready to begin the marketing part of the plan. He said he expects the two plans to be completed in June or July.