October 6, 2009

MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT: LINCOLN ZEVE, RICHARD HENDRICKSON, LARRY GRAVES, RUSS SILBIGER, ALAN DEBOER, BILL SKILLMAN, TREG SCOTT, DAVID WOLSKE

STAFF: SCOTT FEURY

MEMBERS ABSENT:  ALAN BENDER

Visitors:  Dave Ridsdale

CALL TO ORDER:                   9:30 AM

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 1, Motion by Skillman for approval, second by Hendrickson, unanimous vote, minutes approved as amended.

Additional Items: (1) Housekeeping (2) Fire-Fighting (3) Connect III Grant

Public Forum: No Public Comments

OLD BUSINESS:

A.     AIP Project Engineering Design: Fleury informs Commission that based on discussion with the FAA the City of Ashland will be eligible for a two million dollar grant for the construction of the runway overlay and PAPI light installation. Fleury also discussed the PAPI light installation with the FAA and consultant, the consultant has designed a 2-degree baffle for the PAPI lights on runway 30 and a 1-degree baffle for the PAPI lights on runway 12. This baffle system needs to be analyzed by the FAA and approved before they will let the installation take place. This information is being put together by the consultant and sent to the FAA for review and approval. Skinner to write technical memo on necessity of PAPI lights to include in packet. As it stands now the City of Ashland will have a possible bid opening for the construction project in June and depending on the grant award date, construction will start in September of 2010. There is a possibility that construction will be delayed until spring 2011 and the City will know more as we get closer to next summer.

B.      Goals and Vision Survey: Silbiger states the Council did the first look at the responses last night and has no other information on the topic.

C.    Jackson County Control of Ashland Airport: The Commission has not other discussion regarding Jackson County Control of the Ashland Airport. They believe the more relevant topic is how Ashland is designated a reliever airport for Medford. Fleury states he has not done any research into this topic yet, but will as time allows.

D.     Sandler Letters: Zeve states that he has read both the letters and feels that the Airport Commission and Staff have answered these questions multiple times and the situation has now been resolved. Skillman states he believes the issues Sandler has presented are now closed and the Commission can now move on to other responsibilities. Zeve does have a question regarding the FBO operating rate of 25% when compared to property manager rates of 5-10%. Fleury states that Skinners existing lease created the 25% managing rate and that it can not be changed until the expiration of the lease. Zeve states that the Airport Commission would like to be involved with the City when setting the new managing rate for the FBO in the future. Skinner states that he is in the process of clarifying the language in his existing lease to be more in line with the managerial duties he is currently performing on site at the Airport. Zeve states that the Airport Commission could be useful when it comes to defining Skinners exact duties.

E.      Ashland Airport Commission Municipal Code: Fleury states that the wording of the code requirement is a Majority of Commissioners shall have aviation related experience and not All as previously thought. The word majority is used to define a class of users and to eliminate the potential conflict of interest of Commissioners. Silbiger states that the first reading of the ordinance is tonight with the second on in two weeks and then there will be a thirty day period before the ordinance becomes effective.

F.       ODA Impact Study: Fleury states that he would like Commissioners to go through the study and send him relevant information to include in a marketing/information packet to give to Council when the Airport Commission has a study session with the City Council. Fleury to start putting together information for the Council and would like to include all sorts of items from the economic impact to the recent fire fighting activities that were based out of the Ashland Airport. Zeve states that he has been in contact with Bender regarding SOU performing an up to date economic impact study. Zeve states that Bender is putting it together and will update the Commission at the next meeting.

NEW BUSINESS:        

A.     Airport Policy Development: Fleury states that over time Commission members have developed policy and the only tracking of it comes through review of old minutes. Fleury is creating a policy booklet to have for easy verification of policy recommendations in the Future. The first policy guideline in the booklet is the first right of refusal with the establishment of new rental rates. All policies will be kept track of in the new booklet and will be available for anyone to review or have a copy.

B.      Airport Marketing-Website: Fleury sent email to Ann Seltzer asking about assistance with developing a new Ashland Airport Website. Fleury has not heard back from her. Silbiger states that the City uses Site in a Box for there website and the Airport might be able to use it as well. Commission agrees that having an updated website will help market the Airport and Ashland itself more effectively. Hendrickson states he views it as extremely important to have an upgraded website for the City of Ashland Airport. Zeve will call Seltzer directly to discuss website upgrade and will have Graves shepherd the project afterwards.

C.    CAP Tie Down Fee: The CAP recently performed a training exercise at the Airport and had 4 planes use tie-down spaces for two nights. Currently the pricing structure does not allow for the waiver of fees for non-profit entities such as the CAP. In addition to the CAP performing there exercises the Oregon Department of Forestry used the Airport in the Siskiyou Fire fighting efforts and signed a special use agreement with the City for this application. Wolske motions that it is the sentiment of the Commission to waive tie down fees for public service and non-profit entities when needed, 2^nd by Skillman all approved. Fleury to draft policy for this action and updated policy book. Commission would like Skinner to keep track of this service and update the Commission if the tie down fees that are being waived contribute to a large swing in revenue lost.

D.     QT Technologies: Commission reviews options for self service fuel station service agreement. Skinner states that we currently have the platinum level agreement and it has been beneficial in the past due to system problems. Commission agrees that if it is in the budget already that we should renew with the platinum level for another year. Fleury to contact QT technologies and renew platinum level service.

E.      Siskiyou Fire: Zeve gives brief overview of Siskiyou fire and how integral a part the Ashland Airport played as a base for helicopter operations. Skinner states that the City via the FBO signed an emergency use agreement with the Department of Forestry to use the Airport for a base of operations. Skinner also states that the basic formula for fighting wildfires is how much material can you put on the fire and how fast. Ashland Airport was fairly close to the fire so the turnarounds between fueling, picking up water and dropping water were quick and that help contribute to extinguishing the fire before it spread even further.  Zeve thanks Skinner and Fleury for the quick turnaround in generating a press release posted on the City website and an additional thanks to Skinner for doing on camera interviews regarding the fire. Multiple Commission members who saw the interviews said Skinner did an excellent job at presenting information. Zeve is trying to get a DVD of the interviews to show to the Commission and to the City Council.

F.       Housekeeping: Wolske discusses a couple of Airport housekeeping issues he has and would like resolved. Wolske states that Brims Sirrus plane has been next to the new closed hangars for a couple weeks and would like to see it moved. Skinner states that Burl is going to sublease the OSP hangar for the time being to house his aircraft. Commission agrees the airport is not a place to store boats, trailers, RV’s and other items out in the open. Wolske also states that the chain on the bollards at the backside of Sky’s hangar has been off and this gives people the opportunity to drive up into the taxiway. Skinner will discuss with Sky and make sure chain stays in place unless otherwise required. The Mace hangar has some equipment in the front of it and the Commission would like to see that removed as well. Skinner to speak with DeBoer since it is his hangar block and his management responsibility to take care of it. The area between the FBO maintenance hangar and Sky’s hangar has some items that can be removed and or organized better. Skinner to work on that section of airport housekeeping. Fleury states the sandbags used for the yellow X runway closure material are still on site and will have them removed.

G.    Connect III Grant: Fleury states that there will be 5 million dollars allocated from the Connect III money for rural airports. Ashland Airport meets the definition of rural and Fleury will be submitting a grant application for the taxiway extension up past Sky’s hangar. This project was designed a couple years ago in house so it is shovel ready. The applications are now out and are due by November 20^th.

AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:

A.                 Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner states that revenue will increase by 3 hangars starting this month. The addition of monthly rents will come from the Sandler hangar and the two 5-year prepaid hangar terms have now ended. This will generate a net revenue increase of $10,854 per year.

B.                  Maintenance Updates – Hangar Door Pins. Adroit is currently manufacturing the newly designed hangar door pins and once done Dale Peters to install new pins on hangar doors. The new conduit for Qwest is being installed along with power conduit. Power will be stubbed to the back of the shade hangars and the older closed T-hangars. Anyone who would like power to there individual hangar will just need to run it from the back of the hangars.

OTHER:

The meeting of the JC airport commission is the third Monday of the month at 12:00 PM.

NEXT MEETING DATE:  November 3, 9:30 AM

ADJOURN:  Meeting adjourned at 11:16