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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_AIRAB_08.15.2005 Minutes of the Meeting of the Airport Advisory Board City of Georgetown, Texas Monday, August 15, 2005 The Airport Advisory Board of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Monday , August 15, 2005. Members Present: Arnold Wieder, Don Pfiester, Howard Fomby, Mark Dietz, Tim Sullivan Members Absent: John Bader Staff Present: Travis McLain Minutes Regular Meeting 1. Call to order. Chairman Mark Dietz called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. 2. Consideration and Approval of Minutes of July 18, 2005, meeting. Don Pfiester: Motion to approve the minutes of July 18, 2005. Howard Fomby: I second the motion. Motion approved 6-0. 3. Airport Manager’s Report: July 2005 Monthly Income and Expense Repo rts Travis McLain: Flying conditions in July, we had 29 VFR days and 2 IFR days. The Airport FBO ’s reported $628,435.00 in taxable sales for the second quarter of 2005. Net return to the Airport Fund was $6,158.66. Report on Noise Study and Master Plan Update Noise Study: Travis McLain: On the Noise Study we have an item on the agenda to set up a subcommittee to do a 5-year Strategic Plan to include recommendations in the Noise Study. MasterPlan: Travis McLain: The City Council accepted the Master Plan Update on July 26, 2005. We will include a 5-year Strategic Plan for the Master Plan Update. Report on Council Actions Travis McLain: City Council approved an additional $455,000.00 to the Purchase Order to AvFuel Corporation for the purchase of jet fuel and avgas for resale at the Georgetown Municipal Airport. Tim Sullivan: Are we seeing increased jet traffic? Travis McLain: There is a thirty-five percent increase for jet fuel purchases over 2004. But I have no way of knowing whether there is an increase in jet traffic. Howard Fomby: Our fuel prices are the cheapest based upon my travels around the country. Report on Control Tower Travis McLain: See the attached Project Schedule. General Information Items Travis McLain: 1) Central Texas Avionics generously donated a new hand-held radio to the Georgetown Fire Department for use in the Command Vehicle. This allows the Fire Department to communicate with pilots and/or UNICOM as required during an airport incident. 2) Effective August 15, 2005, the cost for Avgas 100LL at the pumps is $2.90 per gallon (cost went up 18 ¢ per gallon). 4. Citizens Wishing to Address the Board None. 5. Discussion and Possible action on recommendation for Rules & Regulations and Minimum Standards. Arnold Wieder: I am surprised to see that we have not received the promised copies from the Consultant. The Consultant was to provide electronic copies at the end of the contract according to Assistant City Manager Tom Yantis. Travis McLain: I will check with Tom tomorrow. 6. Consideration and possible action to recommend to Council a Commercial Land Lease Rental Rate. Travis McLain: I would like board’s input to set a commercial land lease rental rate to present to City Council for approval. Since the City Council accepted the Master Plan Update on July 26, 2005, this office has received a request to lease the lot at 504 Wright Brothers Drive (drawing attached ) in order to construct a private aircraft storage hangar. The lots at 501 and 503 were leased in 2000 at a rate of $0.10 per square foot per year. After the five year CPI adjustment the rate is now $0.1129. The highest rental rate on the Airport is the commercial rate paid by Central Texas Avionics at a CPI adjusted amount of $0.1685. In January, 2004, the Board recommended to Council that the private storage only rate be set at 70% of the commercial rate. A new commercial rate of $0.20 has been mentioned by the Council in the past. Don Pfiester: It appears to me that the Central Texas rate of $0.1685, take 70% of that amount, you get $0.1180 which is close to the CPI (Consumer Price Index) adjustment of $0.1130. Travis McLain: That only accounts for inflation and does not really increase the rate for land. Mark Dietz: My feeling is that the rate has already been identified at $0.20. Howard Fomby: Travis, what is the effective per foot price we charge people to rent new hangars? Travis McLain: The new T-hangars are 1100 square feet and they pay $236.25 per month. We need to realize that they rent land and building; whereas, these folks only rent the land. Howard Fomby: Motion that we recommend to Council a commercial land lease rental rate of $0.20/sq. ft./year. Don Pfiester: I second the motion. Motion carried 6-0. 7. Discuss the Airport Safety Observation Report and Methods to Promote Airport Safety. Arnold Wieder: There are no Airport Safety Observation Reports for the month of August. 8. Discuss Airport Museum. Howard Fomby: We are still waiting for a response back, but we have heard from the Austin and San Marcos airports. 9. Discussion and possible action on the Central Texas Regional Airport. Mark Dietz: The landowners are not willing to sell or negotiate, so it seems to me that the New Central Texas Regional Airport is at a standstill again. 10. Discuss meeting with the Central Texas Airport Advisory Boards. No action. 11. Discuss updating the Airport Business Direction signs. Travis McLain: The City of Georgetown is going to advertise for bids from contractors to place signs around the airport. I am asking for a subcommittee of John Bader, myself and another to review the signs and the costs. Tim Sullivan: I will serve on the sign subcommittee. 12. Consideration and possible action to appoint an Airport Advisory Subcommittee to begin development of an Airport Strategic Plan. Travis McLain: The City Council has asked all the departments to provide a 5 – year Strategic Plan on the Airport. The thought would be to form a subcommittee of three board members to look at the Noise Study, the Master Plan Update and the 5-Yr. Strategic Plan. Mark Dietz: That subcommittee will be Don Pfiester, Tim Sullivan and Arnold Wieder. Travis McLain: I will ask Tom Yantis for copies of the Airport Master Plan Update and Noise Study, and make them available to the subcommittee members before we meet. 13. Consideration and possible action to set an Airport Policy concerning Weight Limitation Waiver requests. Travis McLain: Over the last several months, I have received several telephone calls from Flight Operations Departments requesting a waiver from the Airport ’s runway weight bearing capacity. Runway 18-36 is 30,000 pounds, single wheel type landing gear, and runway 11 -29 is 12,500 pounds, single wheel type. An aircraft weighing 60,000 pounds with dual wheels woul d not exceed the capacity of RW 18-36. To date, this office has declined to grant any written waivers. As our runways are capable of supporting gross weights in excess of the published figures on a limited basis, the FAA allows the City to grant permission to the operator if we choose to. Some companies will not operate at an airport without a written waiver from the owner, and some companies do not even ask. Due to potentially serious legal liability to the City of Georgetown, this office recommends that the Board set a policy of not giving waivers, orally or written, to companies requesting permission to operate an aircraft at the Georgetown Municipal Airport in excess of the published runway weight bearing capacity. Don Pfiester: Do they do it anyway? Travis McLain: Most companies will not do it without written permission because of liability. Howard Fomby: How would that apply with the new museum? They may have a few aircraft that will be part of the museum, and for insurance purposes might need a wa iver. Can we amend that proposal to give you the latitude for exceptional circumstances? Travis McLain: I would hope there would be enough lead time to come back to the board to request a one-time waiver for special circumstances. Tim Sullivan: Motion that the Airport Advisory Board set a policy of not granting waivers, orally or written, to companies requesting permission to operate an aircraft at the Georgetown Municipal Airport in excess of the published runway weight bearing capacity; except for one-time waivers for special circumstances. Chris Cagle: I second the motion. Arnold Wieder: It does not take into consideration that in the next five years we will have a control tower and better visual indicators for approaching active runways. I would think for the time being not granting waivers. Tim Sullivan: We are saying that at a later date, as a board we could waive an individual request. Don Pfiester: I do not see a time where we should be exceeding the weight limitations of the runways, even with the tower or other safety measures. Travis McLain: My point is that these guys will come in here and exceed the weight limits on occasion, but without the City of Georgetown’s written consent. Then it is their decision to do so and their liability. If they come in here and experience problems with asphalt or collapsing gear because the runway gave way because of whatever reason like 130 º on the asphalt, and it got soft and they make a turn and snap off a gear. If they come here without a specific waiver, it should be on their nickel. Mark Dietz: The waiver will say that the City of Georgetown does not oppose the use of that particular aircraft landing on the runway, even though it has a published weight in excess of the useable weight limitation. I do not think waivers should ever be granted except for specific circumstances. Again, we cannot prevent them from landing. For example, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, during the presidential campaign, Air Force One landed on the main runway. A C130 taxied on an alte rnative runway and that runway was not load rated, with that particular day being in excess of 100º. The turboprop was able to lift off the ground leaving ruts for approximately a quarter mile, eighteen inches deep. They fought over it for a year trying to get it paved and eventually it took congressional action to get Las Cruces the money to repave the runway. Mark Dietz: All in favor of Tim ’s motion? Motion carried 6-0. 14. Consideration and possible action for setting Agenda Items for the September 19, 2005, meeting. Mark Dietz: Items for the September 2005 agenda: A. Discussion and possible action on recommendation for Rules & Regulations and Minimum Standards. B. Discussion and possible action of the Airport Safety Observation Report and Methods to Promote Airport Safety. C. Discuss Airport Museum. D. Discussion and possible action on meeting with the Central Texas Airport Advisory Boards. E. Discussion and possible action on updating the Airport Business Direction Signs. 15. Adjourn. Howard Fomby: Motion that we adjourn. Chris Cagle: I second the motion. Motion approved 6-0. Adjourned: 7:34 P.M. Submitted by: Travis McLain Airport Director Approved: Attest: ___________________________ __________________________ Mark Dietz, Chairman Arnold Wieder, Board Secretary