ASHLAND AIRPORT COMMISSION

August 2^nd, 2011

MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT: LINCOLN ZEVE, SUSAN MOEN, LARRY GRAVES, BOB SKINNER, DAVID WOLSKE, RICHARD HENDRICKSON, JEFF NIELSEN, ELIZABETH TRIPP, WILLIAM SKILLMAN

STAFF: SCOTT FLEURY, MIKE FAUGHT

MEMBERS ABSENT: DENNIS SLATTERY, ALAN BENDER

Visitors:  Nicole Doran

1.                  CALL TO ORDER: 9:30 AM

2.                  APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 5^th, 2011, motion by Moen for approval, second by Hendrickson, unanimous vote, minutes approved as amended.  

Additional Items:  

3.                  Public Forum: Nicole Doran from Sky Research states that Sky would like to put a security deposit down on the space adjacent to their current facility to build a 120’x200’ hangar. Sky is pursuing a Connect Oregon 4 grant to assist them in building the hangar, construct associated apron frontage and additional parking. Sky envisions the additional facility as their corporate headquarters. As per the previous Council approved rate sheet update, security deposits hold spots at the airport for two years with an additional 1 year added if developer shows progress towards building. With all the work ahead of Sky to build a hangar onsite the 2 years will be beneficial. Commission discusses security deposit timeline again and would like to see it reduced to 1 year with an additional year added if progress is shown towards development in order to reduce the potential loss in lease fees if someone holds a space for 2 years and then does not develop a hangar onsite. Motion by Skillman, move to request staff to initiate a timeline reduction on the current rate sheet from 2 years to 1 year for the security deposit with a 1 year extension and all other conditions staying the same: 2^nd by Wolske, motion passes all approved.

4.      OLD BUSINESS:

A.                AIP Project Engineering Design/Connect III: Fleury informs Commission the City and Knife River are working towards development of the final billing for all work completed at the Airport.

B.                 CAP Hangar Lease: Fleury states that the CAP lease addendum was approved by the City Council and copies were sent to the CAP for signature. Once the addendum is processed the CAP can sell the hangar outright to a private 3^rd party as the City also waived is right to first refusal in addition to approving the lease addendum. Skinner asks if there is an end date for the CAP lease with regards to selling the building. Fleury states that there is an end date for the CAP lease addendum but is unaware of what it is off the top of his head. Fleury to research the dates and inform Commission members.

C.                 Pavement Maintenance Program: Fleury informs Commission that he has received signed ODA copies of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the pavement maintenance program, but has not received a schedule for construction activities yet. Fleury believes that work onsite will take place in fall and will notify all users of impending work as soon as the City is provided a schedule.

D.                Brim Aviation Lease Development: DeBoer states that he had a discussion with Brim regarding his claim to the spots adjacent to his current hangar and that Brim does not need the parking lot area and would like a first right of refusal on the spot adjacent to his hangar if there is another interested party as Brim still has intentions to construct another hangar. Commission is agreeable to allowing a first right to Brim and associated spot. Commission would like staff to draft a letter to Brim Aviation outlining first right of refusal term. The term will be valid for a period of two years and after that no first right of refusal will be offered to Brim Aviation. Commission would also like to respond to Brims intention to have his current ground lease extended by 7 years to recoup his investment made on hangar improvements. Brim has stated previously that prior staff was working towards extending his current lease. Commission and Faught state that the only group allowed to approve lease extensions is the City Council. The City currently owns the Brim facility and the Commission and Faught do not believe the Council will extend the ground lease on a City owned property.

E.                 Security Camera: Skinner informs Commission that one of the cameras was installed by Peters and Cook on the FBO maintenance hangar and they will return to install the other cameras as time allows.

5.      NEW BUSINESS:          

A.                Good Neighbor Policy: Commission members state the editorial letters are still being sent to the Sneak Preview on a monthly basis discussing the helicopter operations and the associated noise. Skinner states that the FBO office does log all complaints they receive regarding airport operations and the last complaints received were with regards to Brim Aviations short haul training recertification of local law enforcement officers. This training took place over a couple hours each day for approximately 3 days onsite. Skinner talks directly to operators after he receives a complaint to verify they are following FAA guidelines and make them aware of the complaint. Brims last search and rescue training session of Chinese Police took place offsite for a majority of the training. Fleury states that the City does log complaints if someone fills out a code complaint form, but that the Airport and Railroad are exempt for the noise ordinance. Commission reiterates they strive to work with operators to reduce their impact to surround neighbors and will continue to do so on a monthly basis.

B.                 FBO Lease Addendum: Nielsen informs Commission that he has reviewed all associated documents provided by both Skinner and City staff as part of the lease addendum development and believes that as acting airport manager Skinner is underpaid for the services he provides onsite. Wolske asks if the subcommittee members have a feeling of what the lease should really represent and if they have enough information to develop a final draft. Nielsen states that he does believe there is enough information to develop a lease addendum that is agreeable to all parties. The main issues revolve around managerial duties, fee collection and maintenance items. Skinner states that the City has done a majority of the maintenance to the FBO building and hangar as they are the landlords and that there has been a disconnect between previous staff and new staff on the interpretation of lease documents with regards to several issues. Skinner states that the lease does not always coincide with what has been done previously and that is why he has been requesting clarification from the City since 2003. Skillman states that the maintenance hangar doors are still a safety issue and need to be fixed before a liability issue happens. Skinner states that the 1990 Airport Commission minutes have a high priority goal of fixing the maintenance hangar doors and this was 3 years prior to Skinner taking over as FBO. Zeve asks who’s liability are the doors based on the lease verbage. Faught states that the City’s previous attorney believed that the doors where the responsibility of Skinner. Skinner asks if they are his responsibility then why has the City been maintaining them all of these years? Faught states that if the subcommittee sticks with the task at hand of creating the lease addendum that the door issue will be resolved as part of the process. Next subcommittee meeting scheduled for August 25^th at 9:30 in the Siskiyou Room. Fleury to send invite out to all Commissioners.

C.                 Zoning Ordinance: Hendrickson reiterates the importance of developing a airport appropriate development ordinance for the overlay zone as soon as possible. This has been a Commission goal for years now and its time that something is done about it. Fleury states that he would like to put together another subcommittee to assist in the development of a draft ordinance to hand over to planning for review and comment.

D.                Airport Users noticing: Fleury discusses with Commission noticing options for airport when it comes to runway closures and maintenance work done onsite. It was brought to the attention of City staff that users who require use of the runway to maintain business operations should be notified prior to the determination of any runway closure dates in order for them to comment on appropriate times to reduce the impact to their operations. After business operators are notified and appropriate dates or chosen for work, then all users will be notified with as much advance notice as possible. Commission agrees this to be a viable course of action and agrees that the City should maintain the contact data base to the best of its ability.

6.      AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:

A.                Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner notes that transient activity has picked up as usual with good weather through the summer. Skinner said the Bonanza fly in that had been scheduled for the past year was a success. Skinner also states that he has started flying fire watch per his ODF contract as this fire season has been mild to date.

B.                 Maintenance Updates: Fleury states that the fallen trees near Neil Creek will be bucked up and chipped Wednesday August 3^rd. Skinner would like to see the FOB cleaned up around all taxiways and also would like to see all weeds sprayed that are growing through the asphalt in the apron and taxiway areas. Fleury to discuss sweeping the airport with John Peterson and also see if the City can spray the weeds. Fleury believes that herbicide spraying on City property is no longer allowed, but will verify. Another method of removal might need to be determined. Commission is concerned that if the weeds are allowed to continue to grow that the pavement will continue to deteriorate in the taxiway and apron areas.

C.                 Brown Bag: Moen reports that she discussed the proposed rent relief package to assist qualifying onsite business with hardships associated with the extra two week closure of the runway with the other attendees. Moen stated that the Mayor likened it to the assistance provided by the City to the homeowners who lost residences from the Oak Knoll fire. The relief to fire victims was not meant to set a precedence, everyone just felt it was the right thing to do.  

D.                Transportation Commission: Wolske did not attend previous meeting.

E.                 Medford Airport Update: Bender absent.

7.      OTHER:

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

8.      NEXT MEETING DATE:  September 13^th, 9:30 AM

ADJOURN:  Meeting adjourned at 11:15