HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-12-10 Minutes• Airport Board Meeting
Fayetteville Executive Airport -Drake Field
December 10, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Nickle, Otto Loewer, Dave Hollman, Richard Greene,
Vaughn DeCoster, Janice Stanesic, Tim McCarley
STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers
OTHERS PRESENT: Ty Rogers -Fayetteville Government Channel, Wayne Jones -
McClelland Consulting Engineers, James Koch—Arkansas Western Gas, Terry Lawson -
Fayetteville Fire Department, MaryKathryn Floyd and Blaise Sharkey -Million Air, Frank
Sperandeo - tenant, Charles Caldwell -tenant
ITEM #1: Welcome —Chairman.
ITEM #2: Approval of the Airport Board Minutes of the November 12, 2009
meeting.
A motion to approve the minutes was made by Janice Stanesic and seconded by Vaughn
• DeCoster. The motion carried.
ITEM #3: Receiving of Reports.
A. Director Boudreaux, report on Airport activity. Stated that the transient corporate
travel has increased. Regarding the 16 Improvement Project, still working to acquire
land from Cooper Power/Keamey National, and they are working with AEDQ. Said he
and Wayne had attended a meeting with AEDQ in Little Rock with Cooper and Kearney
attorneys and AEDQ is very cooperative, and hope to have an agreement by the end of
the year. Additional drainage and electrical easements from Standard Register have been
required by the Arkansas Highway Department. Paperwork has been sent to them and
they hope to have it completed by Christmas. Staff has been working on removing trees
south of the airport; they have about six more to take down. This will be beneficial in
getting the Glide Path Qualification Surface, and then we can ask for the LPV Approach
to be installed. We may see activity before the first of the year from the proposed client
for the Tech school facility.
B. Financial Coordinator James Nicholson, report on FBO and Budget. Gave a
slide show of the charts/graphs in the agenda. Reported the aircraft operations are
behind last year, but look like they are beginning to increase. The FBO's fuel sales are
slightly over the same period last year. The Airport's finances show we are slightly
ahead of the budgeted amount.
C. Louise Powers, report on T -Hangars. Stated there were three hangars empty: two
twin units and one single unit. None of the names on the waiting lists are ready to move
. to Drake Field.
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• D. Wayne Jones, report on construction projects. Reported the contractor has made
decent progress even though the weather is holding them back. Last month they were
11% complete. Said they have met with Standard Register about their plant entrance.
They are working with the utility companies regarding the relocation of their lines.
Arkansas Western Gas has expressed concerns about their line being inside the Airport's
security fence and them having to relocate a line to parallel the highway. The Gas
Company does not want the existing line left in place. Wayne related there is not any
money in the project budget to pay the Gas Company to relocate their line. Wayne
introduced James Koch, Engineer for Arkansas Western Gas Company. Mr. Koch
explained they would have restricted access to their line if it was left in place. The Gas
Company wants to relocate the line that has been in place since 1949 and would like to
enter into a cost relocation contract with the City. The Gas Company's work force would
do the work and collect the funds from the City when it is completed. The Gas
Company's original• estimate was $500,000.00, and it has been pared down to
$83,000.00, using a plastic line instead of metal, which greatly reduced the cost. It would
cost less to have a contract to do the work up front than to do it later. Wayne explained
there was no logical reason to relocate the sixty year old line, and it would probably need
to be replaced sooner or later. Director Boudreaux said this morning was the first time he
had heard of the problem. Relocation of the line was not included in the project, had not
thought it would be a problem to leave it in place, there are other gas lines on the airport
property. There is a line item in the project budget for relocating utilities, this will exceed
the budget, and we have already exceeded the budget on the land purchases. We can go
• 15% over the grant, and we are not near that now. Chairman Nickle said on a project this
big, surprises do occur along the way. He thanked Mr. Koch for coming and explaining
to the Airport Board. Airport Board Consensus: To approve pursuing a cost relocation
contract with Arkansas Western Gas Company for $83,000.00, with a $5,000.00
contingency, through the City's Contract Review Process. Other information regarding
the highway relocation project is the lady that owns the home next to the highway
relocation does not want to make a decision now about selling her property or go with
insulation; staff will re-visit with her after the first of the year.
E. Museum Reports. The Arkansas Air Museum will hold an Open House and their
Annual Board Meeting on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., everyone is invited. The meeting will
start about 3:00 and last about 15 minutes.
F. Maintenance Report. Staff has been cutting trees as part of the Obstruction Study,
working with owners to get permission, as there were no Avigation Easements south of
the airport. They have worked on the T-Hangars, water lines, toilets, spigots, and got the
heat repaired in the Tech building.
ITEM #4: Old Business.
A. Update: Fuel Flowage rates. An increase would be nice to have, but would hurt the
FBO and their customers, asked to leave the item on the agenda under "Old Business" for
the next meeting.
ITEM #5: New Business.
• A. Discussion: Motor home storage in big hangar. Told of having requests from
tenants asking if they could put their motor homes in storage in the big hangar. We could
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• rent out the spaces for $100.00 per month and it would help with the heating bill to keep
the water from freezing in the hangar. The building does not have a sprinkler system.
Most RV storage is outside, this would be inside. It would help with the cash flow. The
airport is not in the RV storage business, we don't want more than five or six. They.
would need to provide insurance. The agreement would be presented to the City
Attorney for comments. Airport. Board Consensus: Approve agreement including
comments from the City Attorney and send through City Contract Review.
B. Airport Goals. Director Boudreaux said that Terry Gulley had asked for Airport
Goals, and would like to present them to the Airport Board, and then suggested a
Strategic Planning Meeting to discuss the goals. Chairman Nickle suggested reviewing
the goals before the next meeting and deciding at that next meeting whether to discuss
them or to have a Special Meeting.
ITEM #6: Other Business.
A. Items from the Public. Frank Sperandeo said he is an Airport Support Volunteer
and wanted to thank Blaise of Million Air, for promoting flying Young Eagles, it
produces a lot of positive results. Two of the kids want to take flying lessons. Said each
Young Eagle that he takes up flying costs him roughly $4.29 for gas. Reimbursement for
fuel has to be from Phillips Fuel for the pilots to get $2.00 rebate, and the fuel has to be
bought at the airport where you are flying the Young Eagles. Million Air does not have
Phillips Fuel. Stated he wasn't a local EAA member (sponsors Young Eagle programs),
but a Member -At -Large.
• Charles Caldwell asked about the rate used for the T -Hangar rent increase, why was the
rate different for the twin units, than the single engine units. Director Boudreaux said it
was decided to not raise the rent by the formula, but by a dollar amount, basically half of
what the formula would have raised the rent. It was not done by a percentage, and a rent
increase will not be considered again for two years.
B. Items from the Airport Board. None.
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MEETING ADJOURNED AT 2:56 p.m.
David Hollmaii, Secretary Date
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