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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-03-14 Minutes• AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING March 14, 2002 MEMBERS ATTENDING: STAFF ATTENDING: OTHERS ATTENDING: Item #1: Call to Order Charles Wallace, Rick McKinney, Frank Burggraf, Frank Sperandeo, Dave Bowman, Mike Andrews, Otto Loewer Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers Bill Stafford -Stafford and Associates, Inc.; John P. Ross -Ross Executive Aviation, Inc ; Christina Crouse -Airport Hair Salon;Wayne Jones -McClelland Consulting Engineers; Jeff Waits -Fayetteville Government Channel 3; Buddy Remmington-Pratt and Whitney; James A. Scanlon -tenant, Matt Wagner and Eric Howerton-NW Ark. Times; Kristal Dearing -Morning News; Barry West -tenant; John Kalagias- Air Museum Chairman Wallace welcomed the TV viewers and those attending in person. Item #2. Approval of the February 7, 2002 minutes Motion was made to approve the minutes. The motion carried. Item #3: Old Business: A. Construction Projects Update. T -Hangar Drainage Project. W. Jones reported the project is all but finished except for some clean up. A Change Order may be required to place the sump pump discharge into the underground pipe to the nearest storm drainage inlet. Forest Service Taxiway. W. Jones said all topographical work has been completed. He and Mr. Boudreaux met with the FAA in Fort Worth last week and discussed funding for the taxiway. Director Boudreaux informed the Board of a problem with the FAA funding the taxiway for the Forest Service. The FAA is requiring all security items at airports nationwide be paid for first. He stated he had a one-on-one conversation with Ed Agnew (FAA) in Fort Worth about the project. It is possible that if some airport in the region doesn't plan to use their discretionary funds during the year, then the funding can be routed to another airport. Board members discussed getting the politicians involved, or just informing them of the situation. It was decided to wait at least until the end of July to see how the FAA funding is taking place. W. Jones said there is another option, and that is letting the Forest Service get back with the FAA regarding the funding. Runway Resurface and Taxiway Widening Project. W. Jones stated the project is on hold and the contractor should be back on the job by middle April when everything is dry enough to begin the rejuvenation of the taxiway. It is possible that one change will be made in the project, • • to widen Delta instead of Foxtrot. The cost would be an equal trade-off. A discussion followed regarding different parts of the project. It will later require a displaced threshhold and closing the runway to complete the project. As the project progresses additional meetings will take place with staff to determine how the work can be finished by closing the runway the least amount of time. Answering questions about doing some of the work at mght, he said it would require a Change Order. He explained that when the project was started the current airport management did not want the work done at night, although on previous airport projects, work had been done at night and the additional cost was built into those projects. Chairman Wallace said he would prefer to see the runway closed for the least amount of time. Hangar Roof and Siding Project. Director Boudreaux said staff had met with the architect and they plan to have the plans out by the end of March. The type of product they plan to use will provide extra insulation by creating a dead space between the existing siding and the new siding. Chairman Wallace asked that a note be sent to Greg McCoy, Director of the A and P school informing them that the Board had responded to his questions. B. Airport Signage Update. D. Bowman read a letter from the Arkansas Highway Department addressed to Chairman Wallace which announced highway signs for the airport will be installed. Director Boudreaux said the signs requested said "Fayetteville Municipal Airport and Museum". Director Boudreaux thanked all involved in this effort including Board Members Chairman Wallace and Dave Bowman, Mayor Coody and former Mayor Fred Vorsanger. C. Contract Tower Program. Director Boudreaux called attention to the "Draft" letter from the FAA in the agenda packet, which mentions some review had been conducted and the cost-sharing formula has changed. Now the City would pay 70% rather than the previously mentioned 72%. He plans to talk to the tower and pilots regarding the hours the tower is open, possibly cost could be reduced with a reduction in hours. Chairman Wallace asked the Contract Tower/Cost Sharing Program be placed on the June agenda with a report from the Airport staff. D. Air Fest 2002 Sponsorship. Director Boudreaux reported that City Attorney Kit Williams had said with the Airport Board's support, the Airport can support Air Fest with up to 2,000 gallons of aircraft fuel as a sponsor, adding that by being a sponsor, the Airport Office should be included on any advertising, posters, T-shirts, etc. Motion was made that the Airport support the Air Fest as a sponsor by providing up to 2,000 gallons of aircraft fuel. The motion carried. E. Forest Service Project. Director Boudreaux stated the City had approved the Forest Service lease and has a signed lease back from the Forest Service. Actual personnel on the field will be three to five employees. Firefighting troops will be bused from some other location to the Airport. F. Corporate/Executive Ramp Project. The project is moving along Director Boudreaux reported. The City Council approved the Task Order for design and work, the Arkansas State Aeronautics Commission approved grants for the taxiway and apron, but they require two signed leases. One 1 • • • tenant is ready to sign and he is working with the second one. G. Airport Business and Operations Center Policy. Chairman Wallace asked that it be placed on the April agenda for consideration. Director Boudreaux reported that staff had been removing passenger baggage belts from the building and they will be put up for sale. The revenue from the sale will go towards renovation the facility for offices. Chairman Wallace stated the 3rd Strategic Planning Meeting would help determine the permanent use of the facility. ITEM #4: New Business A. Director's Report. Monthly Activity Report. Director Boudreaux briefed the Board on his report in the agenda. Lease Activity. Sunshine Totally Wireless has leased additional office space. The owner of the company also flies for a railroad salvage company and burned 900 gallons of AV -Gas last month. Jim Bell does all his maintenance. Mr. Bell has moved into a maintenance hangar and now has additional work as a result of the move. Director Boudreaux, answering Chairman Wallace, said Mr. Bell is paying the same rent as the U. of A. who rents the other half of the hangar. He is required to have insurance as other businesses do. He said he also is working with Ken Schossow at Wings for a new lease. Chairman Wallace said the Board hopes to move for some sort of parity. Five Year Plan Discussion. Director Boudreaux said the Trip Report was attached in the agenda packet. A "Draft" plan was in the agenda and he would like comments back from the Board. A Five Year Plan will be presented for approval in April. The idea is to have projects that will create revenue for the Airport. W. Jones, answering F Burggraf, said the funding didn't come through for the Fire Training Facility. Director Boudreaux said the Fire Department has moved a couple of training offices to the Airport Fire Station. When the Forest Service facility is built, they will build a road off Lancaster Drive, reducing vehicle traffic on the hangar ramp. B. Financial Coordinator's Report. J. Nicholson reported the fuel sales have remained steady and grown some. The tower operations are down, but we have had quite a few charter jets, explaining that industry -wide the charter business is going up because of difficulties getting through commercial airports. He commented that hopefully we were positioning for this trend. He briefed the Board on the charts in the agenda packet. Reviewing the fuel prices at area airports, he said this Airport is still the lowest. Sales in February, average per day, are almost the same as January's, except February is three days less Director Boudreaux reported. Answering Chairman Wallace's question of what the relationship between the fuel cost, fuel sales, and based aircraft, he said about one-third of the sales are to aircraft based at the Airport. Drake Aviation purchases 2,000 gallons fuel a month, but if they become a provider in Springdale we may lose that business. Chairman Wallace recalled that when the Airport began the fueling operation, the goal was to keep fuel prices low as possible to attract as much corporate and based aircraft as possible. J. Nicholson said approximately 70% of the sales are corporate sales, and corporate customers are interested in an array of services. F. Sperandeo said he wanted the fuel back at $1.95 and asked about pre - purchasing blocks of fuel. Director Boudreaux said the Airport only has a 10,000 gallon AV -Gas fuel tank, and said the based aircraft already pays less than others and the credit card users. J. • • • • Nicholson explained the cost of fuel from the wholesaler continues to go up while we have kept the fuel prices down. F. Burggraf spoke of the comments taken off the Internet about this airport and they didn't mention the fuel price. R. McKinney said that would be playing with commodities, and that doesn't need to come into this meeting. Chairman Wallace emphasized the goal of 200 based aircraft and there are three T -Hangars vacant. He would like the Airport to have a waiting list for hangars. He would like to see a direct letter to everyone that has a plane in Northwest Arkansas telling that Drake has hangars to rent and has low cost fuel. F. Burggraf said 200 aircraft was our goal, but it looks like it is better to have more corporate aircraft than GA aircraft. Responding to R. McKinney, J. Nicholson said the pilots are able to access the weather information through AOPA at the FBO counter, and although some pilots would like to have better weather information, but we have kept AOPA to keep our costs down. R. McKinney mentioned a company he would like to give staff a demonstration of their weather information. Chairman Wallace said we need to be sure we are consistent and do a quality Job. P. Ross said the price of fuel does matter to the small guy, its been like a hook -and- bait, then prices have gone up. Chairman Wallace said the fuel price is only a piece of the problem. R. McKinney reminded there are pilots on the Board and the Board does not need to get into a conflict of interest. Director Boudreaux pointed out an FBO hangar is in the Five Year Plan. The Airport plans to install tie -downs. Staff is working on re -marking the ramp and getting the lights fixed. Chairman Wallace said the Airport needs to find some ways of marketing directly, not passive advertising, do active advertising, to do intensional, focused marketing. M. Andrews said it seems that a financial decision needs to be made, to have 200 aircraft, or more corporate aircraft? Director Boudreaux commented our best area now is from corporate aircraft. ITEM #5: Other Business A. Items from the Airport Board. F. Sperandeo commented on the rate increase on the hangar renewal notice. The increase was not unreasonable, but would have liked to had a letter prior to the renewal letter. Director Boudreaux explained the increase was in accordance with the provisions in the lease, and the renewal letter is normally sent sixty days in advance and commented that Mr. Sperandeo's may have not been sixty days. Chairman Wallace stated the rate increase was a Board item, saying the Board's Policies and Procedures states that it needs to come to the Airport Board first and then go to the City Council. Director Boudreaux said that if he had done anything out of line, he apologized. He felt what he was doing was fair as T -Hangar rentals had not increased in ten years, because of continuous hangar door repairs, and other hangar related projects. Chairman Wallace recounted that this Board is accountable to the City Council. Director Boudreaux said he would bring his recommendation to the next meeting. Chairman Wallace asked the Board members to notify him of dates that would be available for a third Strategic Planning Meeting. B. Items from the Public. J. Scanlon asked about the possibility of a 2400 ft. grass runway that Ultra -Lights could use? K. Dearing questioned that if the lease says the rent can be increased, does Mr. Boudreaux not have the management powers to increase rent. Chairman Wallace said what we are trying to do is have the Airport Board work hand -in -glove with the City Council, there is a long history of the Airport Board finding out things after -the -fact. K. Dearing asked to be called when -4- they found out exactly what the by-laws said. P. Ross asked for a copy of the Airport Business Policy. Several commented on the state of the hangar restrooms, odor, floor should be tiled using ceramic tile, and staff reported that the tile project was under way. Director Boudreaux said he had a letter from the Arkansas Technology school asking if the Airport would like to have a booth in their hangar at Air Fest, and if we do, he would like some Board members to help man the booth. D. Bowman said that would be another chance at direct marketing of the Airport. Director Boudreaux said he would like to have a Pilots Day at the Airport with a cookout. It was suggested and agreed that a Saturday morning would be the best time. The Air Museum was suggested as a location and the Board agreed, asking for a date to be set. An FAA Safety Day is planned for June or August. F. Sperandeo commented that he appreciated Ray's (Boudreaux) leadership P. Ross said this is a nice airport and it takes everyone working together. Meeting adjourned. • � rank Burggraf, Secretary • / / 2rrriZ //Date