HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-08 MinutesMINUTES
FAYETTEVILLE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT BOARD
March 8, 2012
MEMBER PRESENT: Bob Nickle, Janice Stanesic, Mike Gibbs, Rick Bailey, Bill
Corley, Josh Mahony
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ken Haxel
STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers
OTHERS PRESENT: Neal Bilble-City Government Channel, John (Pat) Ross -Ross
Executive Aviation, Russell Smith -Flying Investments, Mauro Campo -Fayetteville Fire
Department, Adam Jones-SkyVenture Aviation, Ellis Melton -citizen, Bruce Dunn -All
Sports Productions, Peter Mastroianni-Million Air, Michael Sergeant-Devol Aviation,
Rick McKinney -tenant, Terry Gulley -City of Fayetteville/Transportation, Wayne Jones -
McClelland Engineering, Warren Jones -Ark. Air Museum
ITEM #1: Welcome. Chairman Nickle.
ITEM #2: Approval of the Airport Board Minutes of the March 8, 2012 Meeting.
A motion to approve the minutes was made by Rick Bailey and seconded by Bill
Corley. The motion carried.
ITEM #3: Receiving of Reports.
A. Director Boudreaux, Aviation Director. Reported the first two months were the
best in two years. The Alarmtec people were here yesterday for the final inspection and
there were some problems. The City Council approved Pick It Construction for the
hangar rehab and said he will go to the State Aeronautics meeting on March 14a'
requesting a grant for the project. Mitch Nugent, FAA Approach Designer, said we
should be able to get the landing minimums down to 264 ft. Had a great merger meeting
with the two museums, the lease will be combined for the two museums.
B. Financial Coordinator, James Nicholson, Budget Report. The aircraft operations
are looking up. We have military operations almost daily. Fuel sales are up. Most local
airports increased their fuel price this last week. Peter Mastroianni said Million Air will
be starting a new campaign next week visiting military bases, and with Southern Landing
opening for lunch at the airport, that will be a huge benefit. The military can call in on
their final and have their meals ready when they get here. They won't have to leave the
airport to eat. Said they had been working with Southern Landing on catering requests
for charters and the military. James reported the Alarmtec's check is being held until the
problems are corrected on the security system. The Airport received $15,008 from the
State for the Wildlife Accessment Project. The grant matches and hangar rehab will take
the Cash Balance down to about $493,256.
C. Senior Secretary, Louise Powers, T -Hangar Report. Two small hangars are
available and one twin. Also, there will be several smaller ones coming open next month.
The last hangar we rented was for storage, not for an aircraft.
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D. Wayne Jones, McClelland Engineers, Construction Report. Alarmtec was here
working on the security system yesterday, there were some problems and we will check
all again. There were five bidders for the hangar rehab project. The pre -construction
conference is scheduled for next Thursday. Director Boudreaux said the low bidder, Pick
It Construction is from Greenland and they have a plane based here. Pat Ross is a pilot
for them. Rick McKinney expressed concerns that with the new security system, the
level of service for the hangar tenants was going down, the new system will be an
inconvenience, that nobody had asked the tenants, and their clickers won't work.
Director Boudreau explained it was a Five Year Project and had been discussed at many
meetings, saying it was a FAA recommended project, but would be a requirement in the
future.
E. Museum Executive Director Warren Jones, Museum Report. Explained they
were working on the merger of the two museums. Within the next sixty days we will
have two planes on loan to the Air Museum until October. The same person is also going
to donate a plane. It is small, but breath -taking. The Aviators Ball has been moved to
October, a date not to conflict with any of the U of A ballgames. No events will be
scheduled in the Museum during June, July, or August, it is too hot. The EAA Young
Eagles program will be in Rogers in May and here in October. Director Boudreaux
thanked Rick McKinney. Rick had put them in touch with the group from the U of A
Law School that helps non-profit organizations. The U of A group is helping with the
museum merger.
ITEM #4: Old Business.
A. Update: Strategic Planning Meeting on February 16'h. Chairman Nickle thanked
all that had attended the Strategic Planning Meeting. Many things were discussed,
particularly a tenant request, but a vote can not be taken at the Planning Meetings.
B. Visibility for Instrument Approach. Item was already discussed.
C. SkyVenture Request. Their rent reduction request was discussed at the Planning
Meeting. They pay rent on their office space, and rent on their hangar. Discussion
followed; SkyVenture didn't request a specific amount for rent reduction, of possibly
reducing office rent by $500 for six months, fairness of granting a reduction of rent -as the
Board just turned down Million Air's rent reduction request, looking at each request
individually -Million Air's had already been reduced as they had just given up one of their
hangars reducing their rent payments, rent on Million Air and SkyVenture's hangar had
been reduced when the Airport refinanced the loan on two hangars, of not wanting to lose
SkyVenture as a tenant, they are a benefit the airport in many ways, they are a service to
the community, buying fuel, aircraft operations, their students sometimes buy a plane
from SkyVenture and base it here, having SkyVentue repay the amount the reduced
amount, reduction is not a loan -rent will increase in the future, would like the owners to
meet with the Airport Board.
A motion to reduce the rent by $500 for six months died for lack of a second.
Director Boudreaux said he had talked to Mark of SkyVenture yesterday and was told
their situation in Jonesboro may have changed. A hangar has become available in
Jonesboro so they may not be closing the Jonesboro location. He said there have been
some changes and that Mark be back and will be more involved with SkyVenture again.
Director Boudreaux introduced Adam Jones, an instructor, who is the manager for
SkyVenture. Janice Stanesic said doing something today would show good faith in
negotiating and keep the line of communication open. The Board appreciated the report
SkyVenture had provided, but would like to have had the owners attend the meeting.
A new motion was made by Mike Gibbs to reduce the rent for the office by $500 per
month for six months, and expect it to be paid back within the current lease period,
contingent on City Staff and City Council's approval. Bill Corley seconded the
motion.
Discussion followed: Terry Gulley suggested changing the lease with a Lease
Amendment, and others thinking some action today would show good faith; asked for
lease information on lease term - the current term began in September 2010 and would be
coming up for renewal in August 2012; it was suggested that perhaps SkyVenture wanted
to negotiate new terms then; what is the market value of the lease and rental space and
that the market value may have changed since the lease began; then it was decided to go
ahead with the motion and if needed, to look at it again next month.
The motion carried.
D. Update: Five Year CIP to the FAA. Director Boudreaux said a five year CIP plan
must be submitted to the FAA, but we don't expect any money from them for three years,
except entitlement money. The most important project would be to improve Taxiway
Bravo north; increasing it to 50 ft. wide and have it properly aligned. The Airport could
bank the entitlement funds for several years and save for a large project.
A motion was made by Rick Bailey to approve the FAA CIP plan and was seconded
by Josh Mahony. The motion carried.
E. Two Year Capital Projects to the City. Discussion followed about the items on the
list, whether the list actually committed the Airport to those projects, the Airport budget
is reviewed and approved each year, and CIP list is looked at every two years, and if
there would be a time to catch up on deferred maintenance.
A motion to approve the list was made by Mike Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs withdrew his
motion.
Projects
were re -arranged by year, the
obstruction removal
planned for 2015 was moved
to 2014,
constructing a hangar planned
for 2014 was moved
to 2015.
A motion made by Josh Mahony to
approve
the
revised
list and submit the list to the
City. Janice Stanesic seconded the
motion.
The
motion
carried.
ITEM #5: New Business.
A. Presentation: Bruce Dunn, Iron Pig Festival, April 7, 2012. Bruce Dunn
explained he owned All Sports Productions and it sponsors the Iron Pig Festival which is
a timed walk, run and bike (bicycle) race. Registration sets up in the parking lot in front
of the terminal. The runway that is closed for about one hour is used for the walk/run
part of the race. This is the fourth year of the event at the airport and the second year of
the (current Lease) Agreement. There were 375 participants last year and the event has
been featured in national publications because the runway is used as part of the event.
Stated they have participants that fly in for the race. Wayne Jones explained the airport is
required by the FAA to have a pavement maintenance plan so the race uses the runway
for part of their race during the time we have the runway closed for inspection. It is
closed for about one hour while he and the airport staff walk the runway looking for
cracks and any deterioration of the runway.
B. Renewal: McClelland Consulting Engineer's Contract Amendment #1 for two
years. Wayne Jones explained that in 2009 McClelland Engineers was selected by the
City to be the airport engineers for five years, with the initial period of three years.
McClelland is asking for the extension of two years. Chairman Nickle explained the
City put out an RFP for engineering services for the airport and McClelland Engineers
was selected. Discussion followed.
Mike Gibbs revised his motion to request approval of a contract amendment for a
one year extension and forward on to the City Council for approval. The motion
was seconded by Josh Mahony. The motion carried.
ITEM #6: Other Business.
A. Items from the Public. Director Boudreaux announced that Southern Landing will
begin serving lunch next week.
B. Items from the Airport Board. Mike Gibbs asked the status of Million Air's
payments. James Nicholson said, as of yesterday, Million Air had paid their lease
invoices through March, about $18,000. They still owe for their flowage fees for
December, January, and February, which is less than $10,000. Discussion followed with
Mike Gibbs suggesting that if they don't have a zero balance by the next meeting that the
airport seek other action for the FBO. He also asked for, a list, at the next meeting, of
everyone that is behind in rent. James said that Sky Venture is also running behind in
rent payments. Mauro Campos reported he was sending some firemen to a live mobile
fire training at XNA Airport, saying this is a good thing, less expensive by not having to
send firemen out of town for the training. Director Boudreaux said Mark Mellenger,
Assistant Manager at XNA, had offered to let our firemen attend. Mauro Campos stated
the ARFF group would need new silvers (firemen safety suits) next year.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
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