HomeMy WebLinkAboutAirMinutes_2006_11_20Brookings Airport Board
November 20, 2006
Brookings, SD 57006
A meeting of the Brookings Airport Board was called to order by Acting Chairperson Jim
Bailey at approximately 2:45 PM on Monday, November 20, 2006, in the Aircraft Rescue and Fire
Fighting (ARFF) Building at the Brookings Regional Airport. Members present were Jeff Boulware,
Harry Thompson, and Bailey. Robb Sexauer and Harry Forsyth were absent. Others present were
Acting City Manager Dennis Falken, City Councilman Mike Bartley, Airport Operations/
Maintenance Technician Jeremy Scott, and City Engineer Jackie Lanning.
Item #2 – (Boulware/Thompson) Motion to approve the minutes from the October 19, 2006
meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #3 – Additions to the agenda include:
Report from Acting City Manager Dennis Falken
Report and discussion on the trip to the Willmar, Minnesota Airport
(Thompson/Boulware) Motion to approve the amended agenda. All present voted aye.
MOTION CARRIED.
Item #4 – The next meeting is scheduled for December 21, 2006.
Item #5 – Old Business
Report from Acting City Manager Dennis Falken – Falken said he wanted to comment on the
discussion from the last meeting regarding the Airport Board and where it fits into the scheme of
city government. Falken said many board functions changed when the change in city government
was implemented a few years ago. He said some of the boards were actually terminated. But he
added that the Airport Board’s input is needed. He said there has been some difficulty in
communicating in the past, but the Airport Board Chairman must be able to communicate with the
City Manager, and if that is not possible, with City Engineer Jackie Lanning and Airport Manager
Patrick Dame. He added that the Airport Board is a useful board that has expertise in aviation that
others just do not have. Falken said it is difficult to get a community person interested in the airport
if they don’t have aviation interests, and people with aviation expertise are necessary when making
decisions regarding the city’s airport. Falken stressed the importance of communicating and said
board members can call him anytime with a question or a concern. Falken asked board members to
“hang together” and give their input, and most importantly, communicate with city officials – who
are willing to listen. Bailey added that city ordinance spells out the airport board’s function as an
advisory to the City Council. He said he was not aware that such a document existed. All other city
boards are of this status also. Falken added that the Airport Board’s aviation expertise is needed.
Thompson added that those that fly should help in making decisions that affect the pilots.
City Councilman Mike Bartley stated that the Airport Board is important to the City Council.
He added that the Council needs solid input from the board members regarding aviation issues. He
said council members can talk and visit with members of volunteer boards, but official business
must go through the channels. He added that board members should feel free to visit with any of
the City Council members at any time. Boulware said he feels it is important that Airport Board
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members can call the Acting City Manager or a City Council person regarding airport issues. He said
there has not been that communication in the past.
Taxiway Lighting Project Completion – Dame stated that the project was completed last week, but
there are still questions on the linear feet of wire used. Boulware stated that he appreciated the
diligence in getting the project done.
Update on Brookings Municipal Utilities Sewage Ponds – Dame stated that a month ago, he thought
that BMU was removing the ponds. However, that was not the case. He said they were cleaning out
the sludge. Acting City Manager Falken added that in the future, the ponds will be removed, but that
could be five years down the road. They are working with the County Zoning Officer to possibly
develop land for that use to the west. BMU is working with the city and county attorneys to get
zoning controls on some land. He said he is still working on the rent for the lagoons.
Item #6 – New Business
Introduction of New Airport Employee Jeremy Scott – Dame introduced Jeremy Scott to the Board.
He is the new employee at the airport. Jeremy’s title is Airport Operations/Maintenance Technician.
He will work on snow removal, mowing, fieldwork, inspections, and ARFF coverage with the fire
truck. He recently got his CDL so he is able to drive the plow truck and sander. Dame added that
Scott has already saved the airport some dollars by repairing a problem with one of the gates. Scott
is a Brookings Volunteer Firefighter and is ARFF trained.
Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan – Dame stated that Helms completed
the plan that is required by the EPA. The report had a completion date of October 2006 or fines
could be instated. The report recognizes fuel tanks above ground. That was needed for the jet
aviation truck because it is over 1,250 gallons. Any 55 gallon or more tank of alcohol type material
needs to be tracked. Dame said that in the Rules and Regulations, it should be stated that hangar
owners keep oil soak in their hangar if alcohol type material is present. Dame added that the State
paid for 75% of the plan, and Big Sioux Aviation paid for 25% since it was done specifically for their
Jet A truck.
Item #7 – Airport Manager’s Report –
Dame said that there has not been a lot going on in the field. He added that it is becoming necessary
to keep rocks off the taxiways as the asphalt is coming apart and bringing rocks to the surface. Bailey
stated that construction in the new hangar area caused some rock problems. He added that rocks
were cleaned up good at first, but after the second pouring, it was not good. Boulware asked for a
diagram showing where rocks need to be removed.
Item #8 – FBO Report
There was no representative available from Big Sioux Aviation, but Dame reported that Jim Jones
Sr. is recovering from quintuple by-pass surgery. Bailey stated he would like the Airport Board to
send a card to Jones.
Dame said that Great Lakes Airlines is purchasing between 200 – 700 gallons of fuel each day. That
is good for the City as they get .05 per gallon, and it is also good for Big Sioux Aviation.
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Item #9 – TSA Report –
No representative was available from the TSA.
Item #10 Air Carrier Report –
No one was available from Great Lakes Airlines. However, Dame said that they are seeing some
increase in boardings. Dame added that every Wednesday, he will receive a report from the CEO of
GLA. The last report showed pre-bookings are increasing. Bailey added that information from the
Sioux Falls Airport reports that the second most popular destination in the country is Denver and
that Denver is quite a bit ahead of the cities that follow. Dame said he is working with GLA
regarding the $29 fare to Pierre. He said it was dropped right away, but it should be back. He wants
to get the $29 fare as an everyday fare or at least the 7-day in advance fare. Acting City Manager
Dennis Falken asked about the possibility of having a courtesy car in Pierre for city employees doing
business there. Dame said the liability insurance would make that very difficult. Bailey asked if GLA
has been doing newspaper and radio ads in the area as he said he has not seen much in the
newspaper. Dame added that there should be advertising in the Shopper. Dame said GLA has done
radio ads that will continue for six months. They also paid for 50% of the cost of a new sign at the
terminal. Dame said that he and GLA Manager Brian Cossette took 1,200 airfare ads to pizza places
to be put on pizza boxes that were delivered over Hobo Day weekend. They also took the fliers to
many bars and businesses for them to distribute. Bailey asked if a flier could be included in the
Brookings Municipal Utility bills. Lanning said that she did that for drainage information and the
printing costs were close to $1,000. She will check on the fliers and the cost if the Engineering
Department would print them. Bailey asked if she would negotiate with BMU. Dame said that travel
agents can have access to the lower fares if they log into the GLA website. Boulware suggested there
be tracking for the Pierre round trip traveler and the Denver round trip traveler to see where they
are going and how they are buying their tickets. He added that GLA is making a sales pitch to SDSU
today. Dame said another convenience in flying from Pierre to Brookings is that there is no
screening going that direction.
Report on the Trip to Willmar –
Dame said that City Engineer Jacking Lanning, Acting Airport Manage Dennis Falken, Airport
Board member Jeff Boulware and he visited the Willmar, MN Airport on November 14, 2006.
Willmar has a new airport, and they visited with the City Administrator, Finance Officer, Planning
Director, and Airport Manager. Dame said Willmar has a good airport, but there are changes that
could have been made to make it better. The Willmar representatives’ main suggestion was to do the
land purchasing with local representatives if land would need to be purchased for a new airport in
the future. They said using a local agent and doing any work locally works better as there is a
tendency not to trust outsiders. Dame also said that HNTB is now having a more senior person do
the presentations at public meetings. This should help communication between HNTB, the public,
and the City Council. Dame also said they were also told that a grant was available to aid in moving
the general aviation hangars to a new site. However, Minnesota has move aviation dollars than
South Dakota does. Willmar representatives also recommended hiring an economic development
firm locally to look at the economic development and help the people understand what an airport
does for a city. They also recommended starting the financial paperwork early and bringing in the
finance (budget) people early in the process. Boulware added that Willmar did have cost overruns.
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For example, they have an ILS, but no approach lights; they ran out of money to pave a crosswind
runway, which remains grass; and they have no parking spaces for cars or vehicles. Bartley asked
Boulware if he would write a comparison for future use to be used as a sales pitch for the City
Council members. He stated that the public may also accept it better if it comes from a Board
member and not a Councilperson or Acting City Manager. Bartley felt that the education process
should begin now. People need to know that even if there is no Essential Air Service, an airport is
still a necessity and very important. The importance of getting a financial document in place early
was stressed. Dame said that the teacher’s group has a program, and that could be used to get
information out now.
The meeting was adjourned.
____________________________ ___________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Robb Sexauer, Chairperson
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