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Airport Committee (View All)

Airport Commission Regular Meeting Minutes 6-1-2010

Agenda
Tuesday, June 01, 2010

ASHLAND AIRPORT COMMISSION

June 1, 2010

MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT: ALAN DEBOER, DAVID WOLSKE, BOB SKINNER, LINCOLN ZEVE, TREG SCOTT, BILL SKILLMAN, RUSS SILBIGER, SUSAN MOEN ALAN BENDER, RICHARD HENDRICKSON

STAFF: SCOTT FLEURY, MIKE FAUGHT

MEMBERS ABSENT: LARRY GRAVES

Visitors: Joseph Rice

CALL TO ORDER: 9:32 AM

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: May 4, motion by Skillman for approval, second by Hendrickson, unanimous vote, minutes approved as written.

Additional Items: Reliever Airport Discussion

Public Forum: No discussion

OLD BUSINESS:

A. AIP Project Engineering Design: Fleury informs Commission of current status of AIP project. The City will receive 95% plans at the beginning of June. The current schedule shows the project going out to bid June 10^th, 2010 and has a bid opening date set for July 1, 2010. The lowest bidder will be selected at that time and the City will wait for award of Federal funds before actually awarding the construction contract. If the City does not receive Federal Funds this year, the project will be re-bid in Spring of 2011 and then the City will wait for award of funds from the FAA. Fleury states that the Connect III Grants have all gone through the local review process and will now go to the Oregon Transportation Commission for a final ranking. Fleury also states that he filled out the two additional grant applications for the rural airport allotment and the City will find out in Fall if they will receive the grant to cover the 5% match for the AIP project.

B. Educational Curriculum: Scott spoke with the Director of Science Works who was agreeable to working with the Airport and developing an aviation type crossover curriculum. Skinner states that he has given tours to students on field trips to the Airport in the past, but none recently. Skinner would be open to giving field trips in the future as part of the curriculum. Moen states that the Commission should speak with the YMCA regarding after school trips to the Airport.

C. Neil Creek Riparian Restoration: Fleury asks Commission exactly what they would like to accomplish with regards to the riparian restoration of Neil Creek? The permits and process for restoration revolve around what the Commission would like to accomplish. Wolske states that he is still working on having an SOU student become involved in this as a school project. Skinner states that since the blackberries where removed from the west of runway12/30 their have been less deer and wildlife roaming the runway. Coyotes are still present at the site, but they seem to feeding on the varmint that are undermining the runway.

D. Unicom Frequency License: Fleury states that he received information from the Oregon Department of Aviation that all the City needs is the frequency operating certificate. Commission agrees the letter was an attempt to charge the City a fee for processing paperwork it does not need. Commission would like to drop the matter completely.

NEW BUSINESS:

A. Noise and Compatible Use: Fleury states that it was his impression from the last meeting minutes that the Commission would like to develop a sub committee to develop a noise policy for the Airport. Fleury informs Commission that if they are to develop a policy that the Fair Treatment Act will need to be followed. Fleury also states that Brim Aviation hired a sound engineer to perform an on site study regarding his primary on site helicopter operations. Brim informed Fleury and Faught at a previous meeting that he would supply the City with the data once it was compiled. The study measured decibels around the perimeter of the Airport with the helicopter flying at various locations on the Airport proper. DeBoer states that he is opposed to creating a sub committee; he questions how the policy or ordinance would be enforced on site, would violators be given citations or sent to court? He would like to continue the good neighbor policy and work with operators and neighbors to reduce impact. DeBoer believes that if you start regulating airport noise, the regulations will keep intensifying until the Airport is shut down completely. Skillman agrees with DeBoer’s statement. Wolske would still like the Commission to look into the situation of noise management before the next on site helicopter training session that Brim Aviation is planning. Joseph Rice from Brim Aviation comments that any policy will have to apply to all airport users to fall under the Fair Treatment Act. Rice also states that most people are used to truck, car and plan traffic in that area and that the helicopters stand out more because of their unique noise signature that people do not hear on a daily basis. Rice also comments that Brim Aviation has tried to mitigate the noise created on site by flying offsite as much as possible, but some days they need to be on site to perform their required training duties. Rice also states that only 20% of the flying time attributable to the previous training contract was on site, the other 80% of flying time was performed off site. Scott agrees that Brim Aviation has gone above and beyond to mitigate the noise created on site. Skillman states that he lives in the Oak Knoll subdivision and that the noise created by full runups from Sky Aviations jet are much louder then the helicopter activities on site, but the extended duration of helicopter noise creates the issue. Bender comments that as Airports expand there is more and more pressure put on them for noise abatement and they must remain vigilant regarding noise issues. Skinner states his biggest concern is the training footprint on site and making sure that Brim Aviation is in an area that is safe for all Airport users. Skinner also believes that continuing with the good neighbor policy is the best way to proceed. Moen remarks that she wants to make sure the Commission does its due diligence with regards to the noise abatement. DeBoer would like the Commission to review Brims sound study data and discuss again.

B. Airport Day: Zeve was very impressed with the overall outcome of Airport Day. He thought the Civil Air Patrol provide valuable assistance with parking and marshaling and the vendors, exhibits and flight simulator were all very impressive. Wolske thought Brim Aviation did a very good job at cleaning and organizing the site before Airport Day and that he was pleased with the overall outcome and effort by all involved. Skinner was also pleased with the CAP effort and he felt the turnout was somewhat subdued do to the poor weather. He also states that he had to work with the gyrocopter operator to find a safer place operate on site during the activities. Zeve felt that there should be a larger effort put into the advertising of Airport Day locally. Zeve asks if there are funds available to the Commission to assist in the advertising on next years Airport Day. Hendrickson that Ashland’s Airport Day is the best kept secret in the Valley and it’s the Commission obligation to assist in the Marketing efforts. Fleury states that he was able to post a news article on the City of Ashland homepage and that he uploaded the flyer produced by Michelle Scarlatta from Brim Aviation as part of the Article. Fleury was also able to have a small paragraph placed in the monthly utility billing news letter. Fleury was unable to obtain the Main St. banner for the week before because it was booked prior to the Commission knowing the date of Airport Day. The sooner that the Commission knows the date of next years Airport Day the sooner Fleury can make the request for the Main St. banner, along with creating specific information on the Airport section of the website. DeBoer thinks that some people should band together and re-establish the airport users group and this group could help market next years Airport Day. Zeve is interested in how to re-establish the airport users group. DeBoer states that you would need a president, vice-president and treasurer to start the group back up. Zeve asks Commission members if they would be interested in setting up the airport users group. Wolske and Hendrickson volunteer to help re-establish group. Bender would like to see Commission members travel around to the various schools in the Valley distributing and talking to people regarding future Airport Days.

C. Airport Reliever: Bender asks about the status of trying to define the Ashland Airport as a reliever to Medford. Fleury states that he previously asked Dave Roberts but had not heard an answer from him. The Ashland Airport has a new FAA Liaison and Fleury will speak with him regarding the reliever status.

D. Transportation Commission: Wolske states that after a little work he was named to the Transportation Commission as an ex-officio member. Wolske will see clarity on what the exact status is of an ex-officio member. Silbiger informs the Commission that Wolske should be able to participate in discussion, but not allowed to vote on motions. Wolske to update Airport Commission on Transportation Commission items each meeting.

AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:

A. Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner states that he is starting to get a build up of retro-reflectors in his office from mowing on site. Fleury to work with Peters and have the reflectors replaced. Skinner also informs the Commission that overall activity is increasing at the Airport as the weather improves.

B. Maintenance Updates – Faught informs Commission that at a previous meeting with Brim they discussed work on site at the Airport and re-iterated the fact that in order to perform any site work Brim must notify the City and obtain and required permits. Maintenance work will continue as time and weather allow.

C. Brown Bag: Zeve attended brown bag meeting with Mayor. Zeve stated that the Mayor was interested in Airport Day and that he invited the other Commission members to attend.