HomeMy WebLinkAboutAirMinutes_2006_07_06Brookings Airport Board
July 6, 2006
Brookings, SD 57006
A meeting of the Brookings Airport Board was called to order by Chairperson Robb Sexauer
at 3:30 PM on Thursday, July 6, 2006, in the Meeting Room at City Hall. Members present were Jeff
Boulware, Jim Bailey, Harry Forsyth, Harrison Thompson, and Robb Sexauer. Also present were
Brian Cossette – Mesa Airlines, Jim Jones, Sr. and Jim Jones Jr., – Big Sioux Aviation, Duane
Bymers, Lynn Riedesel, Steve Whitaker, City Engineer Jackie Lanning, and Airport Manager Patrick
Dame.
Item #2 – (Forsyth/Boulware) Motion to approve the minutes from the May 18, 2006 meeting after
deleting three paragraphs that were incorrectly included. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #3 – (Boulware/Bailey) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #4 – The next meeting is scheduled for July 18, 2006.
Item #5 Old Business
Budget Changes – Airport Manager Patrick Dame said the budget narrative had been included in the
packets received by the Board members, and has been submitted to Finance Manager Rita
Thompson. In the “fees” area, Dame said income from the terminal is very low. He added that the
$5,400 received in terminal rent for a year doesn’t cover the electric and gas bills that the City pays
for the terminal. Dame suggested an increase of $4,600 per year, which would bring the rent to
$10,000 per year on the terminal building. He said the terminal rate takes into consideration, the
subsidy. He added that improvements could only be made if a rent increase occurs. Boulware said
he would favor a phased-in approach on the increase doing one increase now, and one again in a
year. He felt it was hard to do it all at once. Sexauer asked how this would affect the bids. Dame
added that the airlines are counting on having to pay an increase in the next year. Boulware asked
what the increase would be next year if it were increased to $10,000 or $11,000 this year. Dame said
the terminal rent needs to be increased to an average of what other airlines pay in the Midwest, and
then decide on a yearly increase using national figures such as the cost of living. Bailey felt the
increase should take place now when the airlines are in negotiation. Dame said he recommended
$9,000, $10,000, or $11,000 verses the present $5,400 yearly terminal rent.
(Boulware/Forsyth) Motion to increase the terminal rent to $10,000 a year. All present voted
aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Dame also suggested the Board look at landing fees with a possible increase. He suggested
.44 per 1,000 pounds. The current rate is .35 per 1,000 pounds. The average is .45 per 1,000 pounds,
which includes only the airlines at the present time. He also suggested all aircraft over 12,500 pounds
pay the fee as the airlines do now. Boulware asked Dame how the fee would be collected. Dame said
that could be worked out with Big Sioux Aviation. Another suggestion would be collecting a landing
fee ($10.00 to $12.00) that would be waived with a fuel purchase. A portion of the collected fee
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would go to Big Sioux Aviation. Forsyth asked how many planes that would affect. Dame said it
would generate about $1,000 per year. Sexauer said he thought the fee would be looked at as a
nuisance fee. Jim Jones, Jr. added that many corporate pilots are surprised that there are presently no
fees in Brookings. Jim Jones, Sr. added that when looking at averages, you need to look at the
national average, not just the South Dakota average. He said that an airport is a national business,
and one cannot make it pay if the “going rates” are not charged. Sexauer asked Jones how he felt
about a landing fee. Jones, Sr. said he has no problem with it, but he would like to see it based on
national averages. Sexauer agreed with him. Forsyth asked how pilots would know about the fee.
Dame said it would be listed in the Airport Facilities Directory. Bailey said that from a PR
standpoint, it could be an expensive idea. Boulware asked if the flowage fee rate could be raised for
jet fuel instead of having landing fees. Dame said the flowage fee is a built in fee instead of a
separate fee. Forsyth agreed with Bailey, but he added that something needed to be done, and the
City Council needed to know that the Airport Board is trying to generate more income at the
airport. Lynn Riedesel asked what other South Dakota cities are doing. Dame said Huron has no
landing fee, but they do have a flowage fee. Watertown is decreasing some of their rates, and he
wasn’t sure about Rapid City. A St. Paul airport has a $25.00 handling fee if fuel is not purchased,
and the bigger the plane, the bigger the handling fee. Grand Forks, ND has a flowage fee and an
airport improvement fee, and if you don’t buy fuel, there is a charge to park with larger aircraft
having larger fees. Jones Sr. said most airports have some type of fee if fuel is not purchased, and he
was sure there could be a fair way to implement a fee in Brookings. Riedesel asked about the aircraft
that land early in the morning and late at night. Bailey asked about the method of collection. Dame
said he and the FBO would research ways to track the traffic and a cost sharing method for the fee.
Bailey stated that Big Sioux Aviation needed to be reimbursed somehow if they do the collecting.
Forsyth asked how many 12,500 pound planes purchase fuel. Jones, Jr. said many do, and some go
out of their way to come to Brookings because fuel is cheaper. Most buy courtesy fuel.
(Forsyth/Boulware) Motion to charge any plane greater than 12,500 pounds a $15.00
landing fee. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Forsyth added that he didn’t feel this fee would make anyone too terribly unhappy.
Dame directed the Board’s attention to a large change in the budget in sewage pond rent. He
said presently, Brookings Municipal Utilities use sewage ponds located on the airport, but they do
not pay the airport for the use of the ponds. As BMU charges city general for many numerous items
(use of electrical poles, fire hydrants etc.), the airport should be able to charge BMU. Former City
Manager Alan Lanning negotiated with BMU general manager on a total charge of $57,500 per year.
In the future, there will be other charges also. The Forestry Department will be charged rent for the
tree farm on airport property. They are not charged now because they do mowing for the airport.
Bailey asked about the cropland that the airport rents out. Dame said that process would stay the
same as it goes out for sealed bids, which will fluctuate with the price of hay land.
AWOS – Dame said he has had more AWOS problems and has complained to the FAA. He said
the FAA is more receptive to our issues and is trying to get extra parts for the AWOS. He added
that the mayor has written a letter to our congressional delegates asking for help in repairing or
replacing the AWOS. However, the AWOS is low on the federal priority list. Dame is suggesting
action through the bid process for someone from the airlines to read the weather from the ground.
Boulware wondered if the State climatologist could read the weather for the airport. Dame asked
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Boulware to pursue that idea. Boulware said he would have information for the Board by the August
meeting.
Item #6 - New Business
Airport Logo – Dame said he has been working on an airport logo. He is hoping it will help in
marketing and also with the airport’s image. He distributed copies of logo ideas. He asked the Board
to make a decision on one. The logo will be used on the website, business cards, stationery, and
eventually signs around Brookings directing people to the airport.
(Bailey/Thompson) Motion to accept logo #7 in blue and green.
All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #7 - Airport Manager’s Report
Airline Selection – Dame handed out information he has received from the airlines interested in
serving Brookings. He asked Board members to go over the information and be ready to discuss it
at the July 18th meeting. Forsyth asked if a plane could be housed overnight because that would be
good for Big Sioux Aviation. Jones, Sr. said yes, they would have room. Dame said he would have a
questionnaire on the website for interested persons to fill out. He asked that everyone fill out the
questionnaire and pass it on to other Brookings people that they know.
Airport Website – Dame said he is working on designing a website in his spare time. He is working
with the Sixel Corporation on flybrookings.com.
Taxiway A Lighting and Signs – Dame said wires got cut and a section of taxiway is without lights. It
is the oldest section of lighting on the airport. He is working with the State in getting an emergency
grant for $20,000 to $40,000 to help fix the problem. An electrician is trying to locate the problem,
but it is very difficult to do. Dame said there has also been a problem with the north/south runway
lights, but they are now fixed.
Update on the ARFF Project – Dame said the dirt work is finished, and they are marking for fencing
today. He will move into the new building in the next couple of weeks. The ARFF fire truck will not
be in until July 25th as extra plumbing is being added for foam fill. Dame said he would like to have
the August meeting at the new building.
Item 8 – FBO Report
Jones Jr. stated that their boardings for June were 207 and so far for July, are 150. They have had
much traffic with the ethanol plant. Jones added that he can only see that traffic increase as other
ethanol plants are built. He said they have started to see some traffic with Lowes. Jones said their
hangar is 70% finished with about a month and a half left on construction. They are hoping for an
open house during the second week in September, which may be able to be tied with the fly-in for
the Alpha Eta Rho aviation fraternity. Jones added that possibly they could have an airport open
house, not just a Big Sioux Aviation open house. He would like to open up the whole airport but
said they would have to work with the TSA on that. He would like to see display booths for possibly
the college aviation program, the fraternity, the Airport Board, and also the airport consultants.
Food could also be served. The tentative date in September 19,
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Item #9 - TSA Report
A representative from TSA was not available.
Item #10 – Air Carrier Report
Mesa Airlines Operations Manager Brian Cossette reported that in June, the airlines had 104
enplanements and 120 deplanements. There was one cancellation and three delays – one delay for 30
minutes, one for 15 minutes, and one for five minutes. They were due to weather, fuel in Omaha,
and maintenance. He added that passenger counts look good so far in July.
The meeting was adjourned.
____________________________ ___________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Robb Sexauer, Chairperson
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