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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAirMinutes_2008_01_22Brookings Airport Board January 22, 2008 Brookings, SD 57006 A meeting of the Brookings Airport Board was called to order by Acting- chairperson Harry Forsyth at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, in the Meeting Room at City Hall. Members present were James Bailey, Lynn Riedesel, and Forsyth. Robb Sexauer and Jeff Boulware were absent. Also present were Harry Thompson, Duane Bymers, Dick Peterson, Dave Peterson, Ron Sckerl, Randy Hanson - Pheasant’s Fury, Bob Babcock – Helms and Assoc. Street Superintendent Koss Delfinis, City Engineer Jackie Lanning, Airport Operations and Maintenance Technician Jeremy Scott, and Airport Manager Mike Wilson. Item #2 – (Riedesel/Bailey) Motion to approve the minutes from the December 20, 2007 meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED. Item #3 – The agenda was amended to include Item #12. Discussion with Bob Babcock from Helms and Associates. (Riedesel/Bailey) Motion to approve the amended agenda. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED. Item #4 – The next meeting will be held on February 21, 2008 at 3:30 PM in the City Hall Meeting Room. Old Business Item #5 – Essential Air Service Update – Airport Manager Mike Wilson said progress has been very slow with nothing new to report. The bill that would reinstate air service to Brookings is sitting in the House of Representatives. The Senate passed it on December 19, 2007. He said the TSA equipment is stored at the airport, but Great Lakes Airlines has cleared out their equipment. Wilson added that GLA has stated that they would like to return to Brookings. Item #6 – Approval of the Airport Board Annual Report – City Engineer Jackie Lanning stated that the City Council has requested an annual report from each board in the city. She asked board members for any corrections they thought necessary. Forsyth stated that the Goals and Objectives were excellent, and they portray the feelings and expectations of the Airport Board. (Bailey/Riedesel) Motion to approve the 2008 Airport Board Annual Report. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED. 1 Item #7 – SD Airports Conference in Deadwood – Wilson said the yearly conference is on March 5 and 6, 2008 in Deadwood, SD. He asked that any member interested in going contact the secretary. She will make the motel and conference reservations. Item #8 – Discussion on Subleasing/Renting of Hangar Space – Lanning stated that each airport lease has a sublease clause. She said she contacted City Attorney Steve Britzman, and he said that the City needs to know what is on the airport. Wilson added that the amount of money a hangar owner subleases for is not as important as what is happening in the hangar and on the airfield. Riedesel felt there were many things to consider when talking about subleasing, for example: How long does a plane need to be in a hangar to consider it subleased? Wilson felt it needed to be there at least a week, but the main concern is what the plane is doing at the airport. Bailey distributed a draft sublease he had written. He felt it was good to keep track of what is at the airport and in the hangars. He said that as a hangar owner, he wants a sub-lessee to know that their plane is not covered by his insurance if it is parked in his hangar. Wilson said, to cover the City, an agreement with whoever has a plane should be considered. Bailey asked if there could be an agreement between the parties instead of a sublease. Riedesel said that there are many scenarios at the airport that need to be considered. He said he is one of three (3) owners of a plane in a hangar at the airport. One of the plane’s owners also owns the hangar that houses their plane. Are the other two owners considered subleasing? Bailey said that in the past 18 months, there have been eleven different planes in his two (2) hangars but only for very short times. He wondered how long a plane needed to be in a hangar for it to be considered subleasing. Wilson said that he felt if a person built a hangar to house someone else’s plane, that would constitute subleasing. Duane Bymers from the audience said all that was needed is a notarized agreement between two people. Riedesel disagreed saying the City needs to be involved also as they own the land that the hangars are built on. Wilson said the Airport Rules and Regulations need to be covered also. He suggested putting the item on the agenda for the February meeting when there is more time for discussion. Randy Hanson, representing Pheasant’s Fury asked that the Board keep the FBO in mind also when making policy regarding subleases. Wilson said that subleasing is covered in the Pheasant’s Fury lease with the City. Item #9 – Discussion on a Long-Term FBO Lease Agreement with Pheasant’s Fury LLC – Hanson explained that he presently has a temporary agreement with the City of Brookings. He stated that he sent out nine (9) packages to FBOs, and had one show up at his open house. Two phone contacts were also made. None are serious about taking over the Brookings FBO. Therefore, he is requesting a one year (and possibly a five (5) year) agreement with the City. He said he needs a long-term lease agreement with the City of Brookings or Phillips Petroleum will not enter into an agreement with him for fuel. He also needs the long-term lease before he can enter into agreements with SDSU, the State of South Dakota, and the SDSU ethanol mechanics. Bailey told Hanson that he was glad to see his long-term plans and 2 believes they will be good for the airport. Hanson said he also wants to buy a courtesy vehicle and finish the 24 hour facility, but his temporary agreement only lasts until the end of March 2008. He would also like an on-site charter service and plane in the hangar. Hanson added that he would prefer a five (5) year agreement with escape clauses, but he would settle for a one year agreement. Hanson said he has visited with City Manager Jeff Weldon as Weldon has experience with FBOs. Hanson said he wants the Airport Board’s support and requests that the Board recommend to the City Council that the City enter into a long-term agreement with Pheasant’s Fury LLC. Hanson said he has visited with Boulware about using college aviation students as interns at the airport. It is a possibility they could work with Hanson or the airport manager. (Riedesel/Bailey) Motion to support Pheasant’s Fury in their request for a long- term FBO agreement with the City of Brookings and encourage the City Council to approve such an agreement. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED. Item #10 – Airport Manager’s Report Snow Removal: Jeremy Scott said he had been working on the snow removal doing the plowing first and the grooming afterward. Wilson said that Brandon Long, the engineering technician from the City Engineer’s Office, has been running the small broom when needed. Forsyth told Wilson he liked the weekly updates the Board has been receiving. Lanning stated that City Manager Weldon does a bi-weekly report to the City Council, and she will ask him to include the monthly airport updates in his report to the Council. Item #11 – FBO Report – Hanson reported that the locks are installed for the 24 hour service. He said he has a clip board for pilots and guests to sign-in leaving their name, where they are from, date they were in Brookings, etc. He said he has had the fuel trucks calibrated. Dave Peterson, from the audience, asked when a credit card machine will be available. Hanson said he has it and will install it when he is able to get a long-term agreement with the city. Riedesel asked if Pheasant’s Fury would have tugs. Hanson said yes, they will pull the plane out of the hangar, fuel it, and have it ready to go at the pilot’s request. Item #12 – Bob Babcock, Helms and Associates – Babcock distributed a cost estimate on the three (3) airport alternatives (attached). He said the runway re- alignment of the existing site is estimated at $13,000,000 with the city’s share at $2,544,000. The estimated cost of the new on-site alternative is $12,900.00 with the city’s share at $2,542,000. The city’ share of a new airport is estimated at $10,045,000, but with the sale of the available land, the city’s share is brought down to $2,539,000. Babcock stated that no matter which way the project goes, the city’s 3 share is going to be estimated around $2,500,000. He added that the new alternative has the same cost, but the airport is locked into no runway improvements in the future. Ron Sckerl, from the audience, asked how available the federal dollars would be. Babcock said there are always no guarantees, but the FAA is receptive. Babcock said the priority is that Brookings be brought into compliance. The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 and reconvened in the Council Chamber with the City Council for a discussion only meeting. ____________________________ _______________________________ Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Harry Forsyth, Acting-chairperson 4 5 Joint Meeting of the Airport Board and the City Council Boulware was present. Agenda Items for Discussion: 1. Hangars • Airport Manager Mike Wilson stated that a moving company has said that all hangars are movable depending on size and condition. • The cost will be $4.00 - $5.00 per square foot. • The cost doubles moving off-site. • Total buildings on the airport are 23+ ranging from 1,500 sq/ft. to 7,600 sq/ ft. That does not include the FBO which is 14,400 sq. ft. 2. FBO RFP Update • Randy Hanson spoke for Pheasant’s Fury requesting a long-term agreement to aide in improving the FBO 3. General Runway Length Philosophy • The Airport Board members stated that the runway needs to be longer whether or not there is Essential Air Service in Brookings. • The Airport Board members also stated that needing a longer runway has nothing to do with SDSU being in Division I athletics. • Boulware stated that not getting the much needed longer runway would be like going backwards in aviation. He said it can be compared to going backwards from an interstate highway system to a 2-lane highway. 4. Airport Leases 5. Update on Communication/Information Flow and 6. Identification of other issues Items 4, 5, and 6 received very little discussion as the City Council had a 5:00 work session. It was decided that joint sessions of the City Council and the Airport Board were positive. With the important airport issues facing the Brookings Regional Airport, communication between the two boards should continue. The meeting was adjourned.