ASHLAND AIRPORT COMMISSION
February 5, 2013
MINUTES
MEMBERS PRESENT: DAVID WOLSKE, BOB SKINNER, JEFF NIELSEN, ALAN DEBOER, SUSAN MOEN, LINCOLN ZEVE, ELIZABETH TRIPP, RICHARD HENDRICKSON, WILLIAM SKILLMAN, NICOLE DORAN
STAFF: SCOTT FLEURY
MEMBERS ABSENT: DENNIS SLATTERY
Visitors: None
CALL TO ORDER: 9:30 AM
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 8, 2013, motion by Neilsen for approval, second by Hendrickson, minutes approved as written.
Additional Items: None
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Public Forum: No public discussion.
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OLD BUSINESS:
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Tree Trimming: Staff informs Commission that Upper Limb It is continuing to top the trees in the runway approach. All work is expected to be completed by the end of February. Brad Barber is overseeing all work performed by the contractor for the City.
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FBO RFP/Lease: Staff informs Commission that the final copy of the lease and RFP were sent over last night from Legal. Staff still needs to clean up a few things in the RFP itself before publicly releasing. Staff expects to finalize changes and release the RFP within the next week or two. Commission inquires into timeline of start to finish for RFP release to award of new lease. Staff expects the process to last around three to four months. The RFP will be released for public response for one month. Once the RFP closes the City will review the proposals and score them, which will take approximately one to two weeks. The scoring will determine award of lease to new proposer. The final lease documents will need to be presented before City Council for final approval.
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AIP Projects: Staff informs Commission that the ball is now in the FAA/ODA’s court with regards to approval of the security fencing and taxilane extension. Staff will keep Commission updated on progress of approved projects. Bender mentions that 60 million will be available through Connect Oregon V and the City or other companies, Sky Research included could purse grant funding for onsite projects. Staff will keep an eye out for Connect Oregon Grant opportunities specifically if they have a rural airport component similar to that of Connect Oregon III that the City obtained to cover the FAA’s required five percent match on the runway rehabilitation project.
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Council & Commission Goals: Staff informs Commission that another email regarding the planning code update was sent to Molnar. Staff is trying to setup a meeting to discuss the changes to the overlay zone and see how best to implement the improvements with the planning work that is currently being done. Staff would like to see the simple changes made as soon as possible including removing the existing height restriction and basing it off FAR77 for building construction along with having the building sites approved based on the airport layout plan.
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NEW BUSINESS:
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Good Neighbor Policy: Skinner states that he has done more research with the FAA regarding helicopter training operations onsite. Their suggestion was that if the City and Commission were concerned with the operations that they should work with the operators in developing a safety plan. Skinner states that operators are not required to have a safety plan. Commission discusses contacting the operators about any existing safety plans and if the City should create its own safety plan. Moen suggests an informational meeting with Brim to discuss his future operations onsite and his current safety plan or if he has one with regards to short haul training. Commission is concerned that if the City develops its own safety plan and does not keep up with or enforce it then they become liable for any issues. As it stands currently operators are to follow all current FAA rules and regulations when on or offsite. The key issues are that operations being done are legal by FAA rules and they do not have the potential to cause damage to life, property or structures. Commission states that typically operators do not get permission from Cities for operations do to FAA rules being in place to cover all activities. Skillman believes that each operation should be handled individually through the operators own safety plan and FAA rules. The Commission would like Skinner to continue to monitor operations and do what is appropriate for each individual operation. Skinner states that no onsite training has occurred since last spring and Brim continues to use the approach and departure procedures that have minimized complaints.
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Airport Budget: Staff presents the current airport budget and associated percentage spent of materials and services through December 2012. Staff also goes over budget preparation for fiscal year 2014 which starts July 1, 2013. Staff relates that budget planning will need to cover enclosing the old t-hangars, preparing for the next AIP project and any other projects or maintenance that needs to be accomplished in the next fiscal year. Currently the airport budget has $99,276 in unappropriated funds that can be appropriated for certain uses. Staff explains that $19,000 of those funds will automatically be used to pay for the interfund loan that was taken out for the tree trimming project. The Commission discusses improvements to the FBO hangar door as a budget item as well. DeBoer motions to reduce the unappropriated to the minimum amount and move rest to contingency for the FBO door replacement project and for fixing other doors as required, 2nd by Skillman, all approved. Staff to make the recommendations during the budget process and will inform Commission of outcome. Staff also informs Commission that a 2% increase will be added to the current materials and services portion of the budget as well. Staff forecasts that the revenue stream for the airport will bring in approximately $122,000 by the end of the 2013 fiscal year and the total materials and services budget is $122,486. Staff does not expect to spend the complete materials and services budget by the end of the year leaving a small surplus that will get carried over into FY14.
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Parking Areas: Staff asks the Commission to discuss onsite overflow parking as the tow away signs will soon be installed in the public parking lot that require people with long term parking vehicles to check in with the FBO. Commission and Skinner think that the dirt area adjacent to the new t-hangars would be a good spot as long as vehicles were parked close to the embankment and out of the clear distance from the taxilanes centerlines. Staff states that the section that was used during AIP construction the end of the ramp was rocked with base material and could represent overflow parking as well. It is in a visible area unlike adjacent to the t-hangars but still usable space. Commission will leave the overflow parking to the discretion of the FBO.
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AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:
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Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner states the security camera signs and object free area signs are all up or repaired. The parking lot signs will be installed when they arrive. Skinner also states that activity is slow on par with this time of year. The runway closure X’s are now back in the dirt parking lot area next to the FBO building. Staff informs Commission they were lent to Knife River for a closure at the Klamath Falls Airport and were returned to the airport and not the B St. yard. Staff will ask the Street Department to retrieve them when they get a chance. Staff states that the dog walkers using the taxiway have been contacted by the Police Department and asked not to use the airport grounds for this activity as it presents a safety hazard to them and air traffic.
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Maintenance Updates: Hendrickson states that one of the old enclosed hangars is having issues with opening due to water freezing in its track system. Skinner had American Industrial Door out to inspect the hangar door and make adjustments. The footing is ok and they adjusted the upper rail. Skinner states that cold weather presents issues with the doors occasionally. Staff will look into drainage issues around hangar doors to see if something can be done to minimize water flow into tracks.
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Brown Bag: Moen state there was no brown bag meeting in December.
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Transportation Commission: No update.
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Medford Airport Update: Bender reviews Medford updates with Commission. This was the second biggest commercial year at the airport with 2007 being the largest. The oval office is now open and available for rent for activities. The new freight terminal is complete. The solar array at the tollbooths is complete. The Horizon crew base is complete and can house 110 employees.
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Action Item List: Updated.
OTHER:
The meeting of the JC airport commission is the third Monday of the month at 12:00 PM.
NEXT MEETING DATE: March 5, 9:30 AM
ADJOURN: Meeting adjourned at 11:20
