ASHLAND AIRPORT COMMISSION
March 3, 2015
 
MINUTES
 
 
 
 
Members Present: David Wolske, Alan DeBoer, Lincoln Zeve, Bob Skinner, William Butler,  Susan Moen, Nicole Doran and Stefani Seffinger
Staff: Scott Fleury
Members Absent: Bill Skillman, Burl Brim
Visitors: None
 
CALL TO ORDER: 9:30AM
 
1.APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 3, 2015 motion by Butler for approval, second by DeBoer minutes approved as written.  
 
2.Agenda Item Addition: None
 
3.Public Forum: No public discussion.
 
4.OLD BUSINESS:
 
A.FBO Lease: Skinner has reviewed the comments and edits that staff and Legal developed in response to Skinners initial comments and questions. The main issue that still need to be resolved include the insurance requirements and the living wage requirement. The lease between Skinner and the City is unique and staff would like to setup a meeting between, Skinner, staff and Legal in order to get everyone on the same page.
 
B.AIP Project: Staff informs Commission there is no significant update to this item. Staff is still waiting for the final closeout documents and payment requests. Knife River needs to complete all punch-list items. Erosion control will be left in place until vegetation takes hold in spring.  
 
C.Airport Zoning: Staff informs Commission that Severson took the proposed code edits to a Planning Commission study session for discussion and comment. Staff did not attend the meeting and has not touched base with Severson on the outcome of the meeting. Staff expects to attend the next meeting and recommends a member of the Commission attend as well in order to discuss code with the Planning Commission. Once the code is in final draft form it will be presented to the Airport Commission, then to the Planning Commission and then before Council for final approval. In addition, the state must be notified with respect to land use code changes.
 
D.Self Fueling Permit: Staff has received a proposed draft from Prochniak of Brim Aviation, with edits made after the previous meetings discussion. Staff has not had time to delve into editing a final updated document. The one item not addressed as part of edits from Brim include the insurance requirements, which echo what the current leases require. Staff to work on update language and bring back to Commission for discussion.
 
E.Enclosure of Hangars: Staff mentions the option of Skinner working directly with Mockeridge to obtain engineering for hangar enclosure project. Staff to pursue this option directly with Skinner as time allows.  
 
5.NEW BUSINESS:
 
A.Airport Good Neighbor Items: Skinner states the FBO office has received a couple calls over the past month due to certain repetition of operations. Skinner explained the repetitions were due to training performed by pilots as required to keep appropriate certifications. Skinner contacted pilots via radio and asked them to change their pattern in order to minimize the disturbance. Staff hands out email from Eva Voget regarding the zoning code update. The email questions the process of updating the zoning code and master plan update requirement. Commission would like staff to draft an email response to Voget that details the process and send her an application for the Commission as there are vacancies that can be filled.    
 
B.Wide Area Augmentation System Approach (WAAS): Butler presents slide show of various airports with WAAS approaches and the difficulty associated with their design. Pictures include the approaches in Palm Springs, Juneau and multiple airports in Denver. The Ashland Municipal Airport is enclosed by various mountains and this creates the difficulty in a WASS approach design. Commission verifies its position on not having an instrument approach.
 
C.Airport Budgeting: Staff goes over the status of the current budget and explains the process of developing the next biennium budget. Staff states the revenue from last year exceeded the forecast and revenues for this year are currently on track with forecasts. Staff explains the overages associated with water and electric payments, as the rate increase in those utilities was not accounted for in the last biennium budget. Staff explains there is around 105k in working capital carryover funds that can be appropriated and used on projects and improvements as needed at the Airport. A portion of the working capital carryover will also pay back the 10% match required of the current grant.
 
Staff will update budget line items for electricity, water and sewer to reflect rate increases in the coming biennium.
 
Staff would like to budget approximately $20,000 in each year of the biennium in order to do maintenance projects onsite. Skinner mentions a couple of possibilities including remodeling of the FBO bathrooms and replacement of concrete onsite that is failing. Moen would like to see the Commissions line item increased in order to work on next year’s Airport Day planning. Staff to request an increase from $100 to $1,000 in Commission line item for each year of the biennium in order to assist with the planning of airport day.
 
DeBoer would like to see the entrance sign replaced in the current budget year as it appears there is funding to accomplish this improvement. As discussed previously the new entrance sign should accommodate businesses who wish to purchase and install their own small sign to the entrance sign. Staff is watching the budget and believes there will be money left, but expenditures still left include purchasing the fire extinguishers and hangar numbering improvements.
 
 
6.AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:
 
A.Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner states he receives a new load of fuel and was able to drop the price under $5.00 for the first time in years. Skinner measured the approximate area being used by Brim for parking, storage and rolling stock for staff in order to draft an update to Brim’s storage area lease. Activity onsite has increased due to the nice spring weather in the valley.
 
B.Maintenance Updates: Staff states the storm drain pipes were recently cleaned in response to a recent exceedance of zinc in a storm water test. Zinc in storm water can come from hydraulic fluid, tire dust and galvanized structures. The hangars onsite are bare galvanized or painted galvanized and storm water runoff from some of the hangars to the east is assumed to cause the minor exceedance of the zinc limit. Staff explains the requirements of the 1200z industrial stormwater permit for the Airport and if the exceedance occurs over the first two years exceeds the geometric mean of the permit level an action plan must be developed and implemented to eliminate the zinc exceedance. Staff has a plan in mind to allow the storm drain system that picks up the east side of the airport to flow into the bioswale and filter into the ground before making it to Neil Creek. Staff will update Commission on future tests and if an action plan will be required. Skinner states some of the tie down chains need to be replaced and the noise abatement sign is down and needs to be fixed. Staff states the fire extinguisher layout was sent to facilities in order for them to purchase extinguishers and install them on the outside of the City’s hangars.
 
C.Brown Bag: Wolske did not attend.
 
D.Transportation Commission: No update.  
 
E.Medford Airport: No update.  
 
F.Action Item List: Task list updated.
 
G.Airport Day/Marketing: Airport Appreciation Day subcommittee meeting scheduled for right after regular meeting. Group quickly updates Commission on previous meeting discussion which revolved around tasks for subcommittee members along with what has worked and not worked at previous airport days.
 
H.Airport Users Group: No update.
 
OTHER:
The meeting of the JC airport commission is the third Monday of the month at 12:00 PM.
  
NEXT MEETING DATE:  April 7, 2015 beginning at 9:30 AM
 
ADJOURN:  Meeting adjourned at 11:19 AM