Ashland Airport Commission
MINUTES
September 11, 2018
 

CALL TO ORDER
Wolske called meeting to order at 9:30 AM

Members Present: David Wolske (Chair), Bernard Spera, Andrew Vandenberg, Lincoln Zeve, William Skillman, Dana Greaves, Dennis Slattery (Council Liaison)
FBO Present: Bob Skinner
Members Absent: George Schoen, Susan Moen, Daniel Palomino
Staff Present: Scott Fleury
Guests: Harold Lee, Milton Bloombaum

Public Forum –
Harold Lee and Milton Bloombaum provide materials to the Commission regarding commensurate hangar rates of other municipalities with respect to the six (6) reversionary hangars that become city owned in November when the 25 year lease expires. Commission adds item to agenda for formal discussion.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
August 7, 2018 Minutes

Spera Motioned Skillman Second
Vote all ayes. Minutes approved as amended

Request for Additional Items from Commission Members
Solar Panels
Hangar Construction

Old Business
Budget Discussion for FY2019-Staff discusses budget memo within packet. The budget memo breaks down budgeted categories for the airport and specific encumbered responsibilities. Staff walks through FY18 revenue and FY19 forecast along with the maintenance, professional service and capital improvement expenditure line items. Staff also discusses total budget available for FY19 with carryover monies from FY18. There is approximately $92k available for capital and maintenance projects in the current budget year. Any monies not spent will be available to appropriate in the next biennium budget cycle. Staff explains the current debt service for the T-hangars constructed in 2003 ends with the last payment in April of 2019 and this frees up a $38k/year encumbrance that can be re-allocated to other portions of the airport budget as needed.

Staff will discuss the future biennium budget appropriations at a future meeting in early 2019.

Action Item List
Hangar enclosure project-Staff discusses the hangar enclosure projects and floats an idea to the Commission that it might be of benefit to look at complete replacement of the shade hangars with new enclosed hangars and meet the object free area setback requirements that were defined by Century West Engineering at the last meeting. New hangars that meet current FAA spacing standards and current building code requirements could be a more cost effective way to move forward. The current debt service for the t-hangars constructed in 2003 ends in this biennium and revenue increases through the reversionary hangars may be able to support a hangar replacement project of this nature. True need and potential private hangar construction impacts also need to be discussed. Commission would like to have a formal discussion regarding this item during a future meeting.

Landscaping/Irrigation (driveway)-Staff informs commission the landscape/irrigation project was previously bid, but the City received no responses from local contractors. Staff believed there was interest in the project, but bid timing and current construction activity most likely led to a lack of response. Staff to update solicitation and re-bid in fall/winter.

Restroom improvements-Staff informs commission a bid solicitation will be released in October for 3 weeks. Staff should have bid results and next steps available for commission review at the November meeting. Commission asks staff to outline the full process. A solicitation (bid documents) will be made publicly available through the Oregon Procurement Information Network (orpin.gov). Bidders can view and download the bid documents from ORPIN and submit a bid to the City as outlined in the documents. Staff will then bring results to Commission for discussion. Once a contractor is selected staff will process contract documents, issue a notice to proceed and schedule the work with the contractor and Skinner.

Tree trimming-Staff informs commission of intent to re-start tree trimming project in fall after leaf out has occurred. Staff will contract Frisson tree service and schedule a re-start date. Staff now has additional data provided by the master plan consultants that detail physical approach slope penetrations that can be used to pinpoint exact locations. Staff also request additional monies be set aside to encompass a change order to trim more trees if necessary.

Spring at hydrant-No discussion

Reversionary Hangar Rate Discussion (agenda add)-Commission discusses hangar reversion rate and its original establishment when the Sandler Hangar reverted to the city. The rate was previously established through research of other facility per square footage costs and include additional square footage costs for specific amenities that include gas, restrooms and commercial office space. When the current base rate of 29.87 cents/square foot is applied the monthly rental rate $489.27. Mr. Lee and Mr. Bloombaum provide the group with relative per-square footage costs from Medford and Grants Pass Municipal Airports for cost comparisons. Mr. Lee states the current established rental rate is prohibitive and he will move his aircraft to another location with cheaper rents. He also states the other 5 tenants will also most likely leave at the projected rate. He states that based on the research he has done, $350/month would be an appropriate rate and most likely keep himself, Bloombaum and others in the spaces.

Commission discusses options and procedures with respect to the rate schedule. Commission discusses potential for lost revenue if the tenants leave and the hangars can’t be rented. Staff informs commission the current rates are approved by the City Council and incorporated into the miscellaneous fee booklet for the City and any changes or amendments will require City Council approval. Staff believes if the commission were to recommend a change or addition there would be enough time before the November reversionary date to make a formal change through the Council.

Commission would like to discuss this item again at the October meeting and come to a firm conclusion on next steps.

Solar Panels (agenda add)-Vandenberg questions status and next steps associated with a solar project at the airport. Staff states they would like to have Stu Green, the City’s climate and energy analyst attend the meeting in October and discuss solar installation/requirements with the group in association with other CEAP projects citywide.

Hangar Construction (agenda add)-Vandenberg informs Commission that Jeff Neilsen is interested in constructing a large commercial hangar for JLC avionics and also a bank of rental t-hangars at the airport. Vandenberg states that Neilsen will try to attend next month’s meeting to discuss.

New Business
Airport good neighbor items-Skinner informs commission that activity continues to be lower than average due to the smoke conditions. No other items of critical nature discussed.

Fuel terminal-Skinner states the current QTPOD self-service fuel terminal is reaching end of like support. The support for the system will end in June of 2019. Skinner was quoted approximately $12k for a new self-service fuel terminal, which included a $4,500 credit for turning in the old system. Commission questions need for new terminal Skinner thinks it important to have a new terminal with the maintenance package that is similar in nature to what QTPOD has provided through a platinum service agreement. The service agreement accounts for any problems associated with the self-service fuel terminal and covers all repairs. The existing system has had numerous component replacements done over the years and everything has been covered by the service agreement. The commission agrees with Skinner, self-serve fuel is a benefit to the airport. The proposed new system by QTPOD is a “plug and play” terminal. Commission would like Skinner to investigate other self-service terminal costs and report back to group at next month’s meeting for continued discussion.

Informational Items
Brown Bag Lunch-Wolske states no brown bag lunch occurred prior to the September meeting.

NEXT MEETING DATE: October 2, 2018 9:30 AM

ADJOURNMENT: 11:07 AM

Respectfully submitted,
Scott A. Fleury P.E.
Deputy Public Works Director