HomeMy WebLinkAboutAirMinutes_2008_11_13Brookings Airport Board
November 13, 2008
Brookings, SD 57006
The Brookings Airport Board was called to order by Chairperson Jeff Boulware
on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 3:30 PM in the City Council Chamber at City Hall.
Members present were Lynn Riedesel, Jim Bailey, Orv Smidt, Harry Forsyth, and
Boulware. Also present were Harrison Thompson, Randy Hanson and Paul Hanusa –
Pheasant’s Fury, Bob Karns and Sandra Poitra – Sovereign Air, Inc., City Engineer
Jackie Lanning, and Airport Manager Mike Wilson.
Item #2 – (Smidt/Riedesel) Motion to approve the amended minutes from the
October 20 meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #3 – (Bailey/Forsyth) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye.
MOTION CARRIED.
Item #4 – The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2008, in the first
floor Meeting Room at City Hall.
Old Business – none
New Business
Item #5 – Presentation by Sovereign Air, Inc. – Sandra Poitra and Bob Karns offered a
presentation on their airline, Sovereign Air, Inc. They are submitting a bid to the State
to provide air service to Brookings. Sandra Poitra introduced herself as the CEO of
Sovereign Air, Inc. She then introduced Bob Karns. Karns said Sovereign Air, Inc. is
located in Belcourt, North Dakota. It is a renewal community in the HUD zone.
Sovereign Air, Inc. is woman owned and Native American owned. Karns said their
business will be tailored after military programs with the standardization that he feels
is lacking in the airline industry today. If selected as the airline to serve Brookings,
they will be sending a team to Brookings to find the needs of the city, college, and
businesses that would use their airline. He said their aim is to keep fares as low as
possible. Karns added that they will make all records available to the Airport
Manager and the Airport Board chair. They plan to bid three airplanes, a Beech
1900, a Beech 200, and a single-engine Pilatus. He said they may by-pass the 1900
and go to a Dornier. They have a code sharing agreement which means there will
be no names on tails other than their own, and the business will be paperless. They
will teach and train the station personnel on weather observation (not forecast)
through the SARS Program. They are HASMAT approved and can handle
international items also. Smidt asked if they would house an aircraft in Brookings.
Karns said yes. Karns said they would have a schedule flying to Minneapolis, and
possibly Marshall staying overnight in Brookings. Forsyth asked if they would fuel in
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Brookings. Karns said what they would like to do is purchase the fuel, put it in FBO
tanks, pay a fueling fee, and let the FBO sell the fuel, but Karns said at this point, he
doesn’t know. He would like to visit with the local FBO manager. He added that it is
imperative to keep fuel costs down. He also said they would send the maintenance
personnel to school, and they must be in a drug-free program. Boulware asked if
they have a Part 135 Certificate and who does their training. Karns answered yes,
and their initial training is in flight safety. Their check rides are flown in a simulator.
Karns said they would have emergency air service also. Riedesel commented that in
that area there are very stringent rules to follow. Karns said his daughter, who is a
doctor and very qualified, will handle that. However, no helicopter will be used. They
will have security which will include air marshals. City Councilman Mike Bartley said
he has many unanswered questions and contingencies and knows how things can
get held up by the FAA. He wanted to know by what date Sovereign Air, Inc. could
be operational. Karns said if they have a contract, in two weeks.
Item #6 – Reporting Based Aircraft – Wilson said he needs to know and must have a
list of which aircraft are on the airfield or based out of Brookings. He asked board
members who frequent the airport to let him know of all aircraft that are at the
airport.
Wilson also said he is going to do a fire inspection of the general aviation hangars in
the near future. He said he will let general aviation know when it will take place.
Item #7 – Buy American Requirements – Wilson said it is an FAA requirement for
airports to buy American 100% when using FAA funds. If the labor, materials, or parts
used on an item are not 100% American, he needs to get a waiver for the item. It is
up to the Airport Manager to keep these records. It applies to all FAA funded
equipment, which include lights, wind cone, and the ARFF building. He urged the
Airport Board members to send letters to the congressmen/women regarding this
issue.
Item #8 – Approval of land leases – Land leases are ready to renew for Lynn
Riedesel, Duane Knutson, and the ADVANCE parking lot.
(Forsyth/Smidt) Motion to approve the land leases for Lynn Riedesel, Duane
Knutson, and the ADVANCE parking lot. Smidt, Forsyth, Bailey, and Boulware voted
yes. Riedesel abstained. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #9 – Airport Manager’s Report –
o Wilson reported that the FAA ADO fall seminar was excellent. It was held in
Bismarck, North Dakota.
o The airport has had snow removal equipment in use two times already this
year. He reported that things went well both times. He did close the airport
when there was 0 breaking action on the runway.
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o He said the PAPIs are fixed. He got spare parts from the Spearfish airport. The
windsock should be here by December 15 and will have constant brightness.
He said he had two lights down during snow removal.
Item #10 – FBO Report – Randy Hanson said they will have a ribbon cutting open
house on Thursday, November 20th sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. They
will also show appreciation to LaDell Swiden for his work in the past. He invited all
airport board members to the open house. Hanson asked Wilson if he had heard
anything about the fuel spill. He said his insurance company had subrogated
against him. He said he then, subrogated back. Lanning said she would check with
Human Resource Director Donna Langland regarding the matter. Hanusa asked
Wilson if the city had a date on when they would begin work on the aboveground
fuel tanks. Wilson said not at this point. He said he will begin working on it after the
first of the year when his funding is available. He added that he hoped the tanks are
in place by May or June 2009.
The meeting was adjourned. The Board met informally with Karns and Poitra
after the meeting.
____________________________ __________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Jeff Boulware, Chairperson