HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GTAB_04.13.2018Minutes of the Meeting of the
Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board and the
Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas
April 13 2018
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Board Members Present: Ron Bindas - Vice Chair, Donna Courtney - Secretary, Dan Jones,
Troy Hellman, Doug Noble, Robert Redoutey
Board Members Absent: John Marler, Sheila Mills, John Hesser
Staff Present: Wes Wright, Russ Volk, Octavio Garza, Jim Briggs, Chris Foster, Mike Babin,
Michael Hallmark, Ed Polasek, Paul Diaz, Emily Koontz
Others Present: Carl Norris, John Milford, Wendy Dew, Dennis Hegebarth, Don Smith, Richard
Gottleib, Alyson DeMaio, Chris Graf - (Airport Concerned Citizens), Josh Crawford - Garver,
Jacob Green - Garver, Christophe Wood, Brad Lamb - GTU Jet, Trae Sutton - KPA Engineering,
Seth Cunningham - Burns and McDonnell, Larry Wood - Wood Aviation, Scott Pasternak -
Bums and McDonnell
Regular Session
A. Call to Order: Meeting called to order by at 10:00am
Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to
Convene an Executive Session at the request of the Chair, a Board Member, The City Manager,
Assistant City Manager, General Manager of Utilities, City Council Member, or legal counsel for
any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551, and
are subject to action in the Regular Session that follows.
B. Introduction of New Board Members and Visitors: All visitors and staff were
introduced.
C. Review Board/Meeting Procedures - Board Liaison: Emily Koontz explained the packets
given to the board members as part of the start of a new term.
D. Industry/CAMPO/TxDOT/Transit Updates: Ed Polasek gave updates. CAMPO
preliminary scoring ranks the Leander Rd project as the third highest rated roadway
project in the region right now. They are recommending $4.5 million to the bond
commitment match. CAMPO grouped the Williams Dr. applications and are
recommending $1.38 million in funding for Williams Dr. improvements. Board will
make a decision in June on funding those projects. Bindas asked about what sections of
the project this was. Polasek responded that it was the first five sections, the
implementation portion. Courntey asked and Polasek responded that it looked favorable
to get these projects approved. Bindas asked about GoGeo project. Polasek stated there
would be a workshop in May.
E. Airport Monthly Update: Russ Volk gave updates. Master plan been in the works 18
months and had been on hold since January pending FAA review. That is still going
back and forth between TxDOT and FAA and hired consultant. Poor weather for two
weeks in February impacted fuel sales. Still running one hundred percent on hangar and
tie -down leases. 2018 accomplishments and projects report in packets. Fuel prices
comparisons in packet - seeing on nearly a weekly basis that, due to the price of oil,
aviation fuel prices are creeping up about 2-4 cents per gallon every week. Budget report
by finance and detailed financial report by Foster's team in packets. The airport is still
running in the black this year. Jones commented that he has downloaded an airport
report that was rather lengthy and requested a tour of the airport. Volk stated that he
could be given a tour and extended the same invitation to the other board members.
Citizens Wishing to Address the Board: The following people with the Airport Concerned
Citizens (ACC) signed up to speak to the Board on Item E:
Hugh C. Norris Jr. - 6 minutes
F. April 2018 GTAB Updates: Wright gave updates. All updates included in the agenda
packet. Hellmann asked when their portion of SW Bypass would be open. Wright
responds that they are shooting for July 41h plus or minus a few weeks after cleaning up
some areas.
Legislative Regular Agenda
G. Nominations and election of Vice -Chair of the GTAB Board. - John Marler, Chair Person
for GTAB: Ron Bindas was nominated for Vice -President by Hellman and accepted the
nomination. MOTION by Hellmann, second by Noble APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler,
Mills, and Hesser - absent)
H. Nominations and election of Secretary of the GTAB Board. - John Marler, Chair Person
for GTAB: Donna Courtney was nominated for Secretary by Hellman and accepted the
nomination. MOTION by Hellman, second by Noble APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler,
Mills, and Hesser - absent)
I. Review and possible action related to the Day and Time of GTAB Board Meetings - John
Marler, GTAB Chair Person: Koontz explained that there was a list of proposed dates in
the packet that would keep the GTAB meeting time as the second Friday of every month
at 10:OOam with the exception of the December meeting which would occur on that
Thursday. MOTION by Courtney, second by Hellmann to continue having GTAB
meetings on the second Friday of every month at 10:OOam with the exception of the
December meeting which would occur on that Thursday. APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler,
Mills, and Hesser - absent)
J. Consideration and possible approval of the Minutes from the February 09, 2018, March
09, 2018, and March 14, 2018 Meeting - Emily Koontz - Board Liaison.
MOTION by Courtney, second by Jones to approve the minutes as presented.
APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser - absent)
K. Consideration and possible recommendation to award a contract to Joe Bland
Construction, LP out of Austin, TX for the construction of the Shell Road at Verde Vista
left turn lane improvement project in the amount of $187,826.00— Wesley Wright, P.E.,
Systems Engineering Director/Michael Hallmark, CIP Manager. Wright points out that
development coming in called Gardens of Verde Vista a condo -style development
building and that when new developments come in they must do a traffic impact
analysis report. Gardens of Verde Vista contributed $250,000 dollars for improvements
by the city. Increased traffic is creating backup, no signal warranted, but expansion to
widen and put in turn lanes is needed. TIA money was used to design, it was bid last
month, and Joe Bland is lowest bid at $187,826. Courtney asked if it was a center turn
lane. Wright responded that there would be a center turn lane, but no light. Noble asked
about mitigating change orders down the line. Wright responded that they do the best
they can in design to make sure that doesn't happen and they look at everything in-
house to try to make sure they have covered all possible problems. Wright says that
although there are no guarantees, staff would come back to the board to approve change
orders. Briggs made statement that we also make sure to have line -item bids to make
sure that prices cannot be changed arbitrarily. Bindas asked about bids coming in under
expected and asked if there was trend. Wright responded that we bid with solid
contractors who are hungry for projects and that there are a lot of contractors that can
easily mobilize here. Jones asked about speed limit control. Wright responded that there
will be no change to the speed limit for this specific project. Hellmann asked how the
TIA funds are handled and accounted for. Briggs responded that we have it in an
account to be used as needed and can be allocated for the appropriate places. It is a
restricted fund that can't be used for just anything. MOTION by Noble, second by
Jones APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser — absent)
L. Consideration and possible recommendation to accept receipt of a letter, from the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regarding Georgetown Airport operations. --
Russ Volk, C.M., Airport Manager and Octavio A. Garza, P.E., C.P.M., Public Works
Director. Volk made statement. Hellmann asked for clarification on meaning of letter.
Briggs made statement that staff was requested to post this letter so that it went into the
official public record which is why it was an item on the agenda. Hellmann asked if the
letter was stating that the FAA has looked into the matter thoroughly and they do not
believe that Georgetown, TxDOT, or the FAA have done anything wrong with how they
have conducted grant projects at the airport. Briggs commented that all of our grant
projects at the airport are highly regulated by TxDOT and the FAA. Courtney asked and
Briggs responded that it is not unusual for these types of letters to be accepted especially
after so many questions. MOTION by Hellmann, second by Courtney APPROVED 5-
1-3 (Jones — opposed/Marler, Mills, and Hesser — absent)
Citizens Wishing to Address the Board: The following people with the Airport
Concerned Citizens (ACC) signed up to speak to the Board on Item L:
Hugh C. Norris Jr. — 3 minutes
M. Consideration and possible recommendation for approval of an Assignment of an
airport Land Lease from John D. Sommerfeld to Hangar 201-C Partnership. - Russ Volk,
C.M., Airport Manager and Octavio A. Garza, P.E., C.P.M, Public Works Director. Volk
explained that Mr. Sommerfeld executed a land -lease on the airport in the 1990's and
that Mr. Sommerfeld has come to an agreement to sell the remainder of the lease to the
Hangar 201-C Partnership. The partnership will take over the remaining portion of the
lease for the current remaining term at the current rate with no adjustments except for
what is contained as provisions in the lease document. Volk reported that the City
Attorney's office has put these leases into a new lease form which reflects the current
lease language the city uses. The City Attorney's office did the same with the other
leases that will be presented as subsequent items. Courtney asked if there had been any
changes in the lease since the 90s. Volk responded that the lease has built-in inflationary
escalation clauses so they are paying updated rates. MOTION by Noble, second by
Jones APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser - absent)
N. Consideration and possible recommendation for approval of an Assignment of an
airport Land Lease from Marvin Cressman to Wood Aviation, Inc. - Russ Volk, C.M.,
Airport Manager and Octavio A. Garza, P.E., C.P.M, Public Works Director. Marvin
Cressman is selling the remaining length of the lease -hold to Wood Aviation Inc who
will take over the remainder of the lease for the same length at the same rate. MOTION
by Courtney, second by Noble APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser -
absent)
O. Consideration and possible recommendation for approval of an Assignment of an
airport Land Lease from RA General Services to Wood Aviation, Inc. - Russ Volk, C.M.,
Airport Manager and Octavio A. Garza, P.E., C.P.M, Public Works Director. RA General
Services is selling the remainder of their lease to Wood Aviation who will take over the
remainder of the lease for the same length at the same rate. This has an added element
that RA General Services is an existing fixed -base operator, Longhorn Jet, and Wood
Aviation is an existing fixed -base operator, AeroJet, so this will be a consolidation of
fixed -based operators leaving two at the airport - AeroJet and GTU Jet. MOTION by
Noble, second by Hellmann APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser - absent)
Board moved to item Q at this time.
P. Presentation and discussion of the Solid Waste Master Plan Project -- Octavio Garza,
Public Works Director. (No Action Required) Burns and McDonnell, the consulting
engineer, gave the presentations. Presentation included in agenda.
Q. Transfer Station Evaluation Project -- Octavio Garza, Public Works Director. (No Action
Required) Item Q was addressed first. Garza gave statement that it was requested that
the projects detailed in items Q and P be reviewed by the board. Burns and McDonnell,
the consulting engineer, gave the presentations. Presentation included in agenda.
Board returned to item P at this time.
GTAB STATEMENT
APRIL 13, 2018
AGENDA ITEM "E"
AIRPORT MONTHLY UPDATE
Good morning Mr. Chairman, members of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board, city
staff and ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. My address is 4400 Luna Trail,
Georgetown, Texas. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC).
On behalf of the ACC, we wish to welcome Mr. Marler as the new Chairman of the GTAB and
the two new appointed members to the board. This is the 80TH presentation by ACC members
to the city council and/or the GTAB demanding compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) regarding federal funding and fiscal transparency for the Georgetown
Municipal Airport (GTU). My comments this morning address Agenda Item "E" and specifically
the item's Airport Master Plan (AMP) Report.
"Our first priority is protection of the public safety!" This is a standard mantra of our local,
county, state and federal officials. Another standard mantra of our city leaders is "There are no
plans to expand anything at the airport". The ACC finds these mantras hypocritical when
applied to protection of health, safety and property values of those who live, work, study and
pray on the ground near the GTU. Over 70% of all air crashes occur during landings and take
offs and toxic hazardous materials are common with airports. Despite the public safety mantra,
our local leaders are determined to develop our GTU by use of 90% state and federal taxpayer
funding from its once social acceptance into the Central Texas Regional Reliever Airport. FAA
authorizes Reliever airports to accommodate every type of military and civilian aircraft capable
of operating off their runways and, for the GTU, do it in its dangerous site restricted location in
the very heart of our rapidly growing, densely developing community and totally atop the
Edwards Recharge Zone. This political determination has transformed the GTU from its once
social acceptance to a documented public health and safety hazard and subject of public
controversy.
The GTU has received local, state and federal taxpayer funding for three major Federal Action
PROGRAMS of capital improvements over the past 38 years with no political accountability for
public officials. These three PROGRAMS have each contained adverse public impacting projects
for continuous aviation expansions over specified time periods. If these capital improvement
programs had been bond projects as for most local public facilities, public input and
participation would have been manifest and a public vote would have determined public
acceptance or rejection. Even capital improvements funded entirely by the city budget would
be politically accountable for individual council members by their district constituents. Yet,
there remains no political accountability for state and/or federal grants for the airport.
The ACC made such a point over four years ago to the City Council and pleaded for compliance
for such grants with the NEPA which provides for public input and participation for use of
Federal taxpayer funds through NEPA compliance regulations requiring preparation of
Environmental Assessments (EA's) and/or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS's). An EA is a
less comprehensive process to determine if an EIS is warranted. An EIS preparation process
provides opportunity for the impacted community to fully assess all social, economic and
human environmental impacts of a proposed grant action, mitigation measures to eliminate or
reduce adverse impacts and fully examine all practicable alternatives to the proposed action.
For the past 38 years and 42 grant actions there has never been a single EA or EIS for a single
implemented state and/or federal grant for any one of the three planned PROGRAMS or any of
the projects or groups of projects segmented out of a PROGRAM. TxDOT, with FAA oversight,
intends no EA or EIS preparation for the new 20 year, $60 Million AMP PROGRAM.
The city and TxDOT, with FAA oversight, avoid preparation of EA's and EIS's for GTU taxpayer
grants by practices that categorically exclude GTU grants from these regulatory requirements
and from the NEPA by falsely documenting each grant as benign with no social, economic and
human environment impacts on the general public. The ACC has protested these unjustified
NEPA exclusion practices to federal authorities and will continue to do so. Current ACC
demands are focused on preparation of a fully scoped EIS for the new AMP $60Million
PROGRAM.
Mr. Chairman, the ACC again requests a GTAB sponsored open public workshop for direct,
respectful, dialog between the board and staff with the general public on need for an EIS for
the new $60 Million AMP PROGRAM. Also requested are staff responses to our prior requested
justification for the AMP PROGRAM project to double the strength of RW 18-36 to
accommodate dual wheel aircraft up to 150,000 Ib gross weight, and lack of city approval for
TxDOT's increasing projects in Project No. 1514GRGTN from its 2005 planned PROGRAM of 9 to
25, and 60% expansion of Fuel Farm capacity from 22,000 to 35,000 gallons.
Mr. Chairman, comments or questions from the board or staff are welcome.
GTAB STATEMENT
MAY 12, 2017
AGENDA ITEM "G"
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL - 2018 GTAB CIP
Good morning Mr. Chairman, members of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board, city
staff and ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. I am a member of the Airport
Concerned Citizens (ACC).
This is the 66th presentation by ACC members to the city council and/or the GTAB demanding
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding federal funding and
fiscal transparency for the Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU). The GTU is a documented
health and safety hazard and subject of public controversy and any action for maintenance
and/or expansion should be addressed through preparation of a NEPA provided Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). My comments this morning address Item "G" , Airport CIP, Design
Runway Rehab, Construct Runway Rehab and Taxiway Edge Lighting.
Both Design Runway Rehab scheduled for FY 2018 at a 10% cost of $16,500 and Construct
Runway Rehab scheduled for FY 2020 at a 10% cost of $500,000 for a total project cost of
$5,165,000 is a project strongly opposed by the ACC since prior to its request to TxDOT by the
city manager letter dated June 30, 2015. That request was for two projects, one for
rehabilitation design and construction for Runway 18-36 at a total cost of $3,235,000 to
resurface and double its strength from its existing 30,000 to 60,000 pounds single wheel load
capacity and the second to resurface Runway 11-29 to retain its current 12,500 pounds single
wheel load capacity.
The city's description of Runway 18-36 as rehabilitation of its asphalt surface is dishonest,
totally misleading and a disservice to the general public. This proposed federal and/or state
taxpayer funded action is to provide accommodation by GTU of larger, noisier and more
dangerous aircraft on a day and night basis including dual wheel aircraft of up to 150,000
pounds gross weight and capable of 80 or more charter passengers or equivalent cargo weight.
The project will add significant added cumulative adverse health and safety adverse impacts to
the human environment to an already documented health and safety hazard. The project has
no master planned justification. Its adverse human environmental impacts, mitigation
measures and practicable alternatives have never been examined. It's 60 % increase in cost
from the original request has never been explained or justified. The original request
justification that the increased pavement strength is needed to be consistent with GTU's
current fleet mix and airport design category is bogus. The GTU fleet mix is currently consistent
with its FAA authorized current pavement strength of 30,000 pounds single wheel loading. The
project was not a portion of the 2005 GTU master plan construction program and has no
independent environmental clearance. There is no FAA or TxDOT requirement for the project.
The runway's surface could be rehabilitated as proposed for runway 11-29 and its current FAA
strength retained for about $423,000 or a 92 % decrease in the CIP budgeted cost. The project
has never been openly reviewed and exposed to public participation and comments.
It is recommended that the GTAB table any action for CIP budget approval recommendations
for this project pending its inclusion in the current new GTU master plan, 16MPGRGTN, where
its need, justification and appropriate NEPA level reviews can be completed. Then, if NEPA
compliant, placed on a GTAB agenda for recommendation to city council.
The Taxiway Edge Lighting project is the remnant portion of the original 25 project 1514GRGTN
construction program delayed by TxDOT and now scheduled for FY 2018. It remains opposed
by ACC on basis that the entire 25 project program of which it was a part was excluded from
the NEPA and preparation of an EIS by an unjustified categorical exclusion. In addition, the
Minute Order for grant approval for the 25 project program was approved by the Texas
Transportation Commission on January 28, 2016 primarily on basis of false testimony by local
and state officials. The ACC will continue to oppose the entire 1514GRGTN program including
this remnant portion to state and federal authorities and demand preparation of an EIS for the
entire program for NEPA compliance.
Mr. Chairman, I welcome any questions or comments from the board.
GTAB STATEMENT
April 13, 2018
AGENDA ITEM "L"
FAA Letter Dated February 02, 2018
Good morning Mr. Chairman, members of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board, city
staff and ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. My address is 4400 Luna Trail,
Georgetown, Texas. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC).
In your briefing folders this morning you should find a copy of an email dated April 7, 2018
along with copies of its attachments. It was intended to reach you before this morning's
meeting. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The email and attachments should be self
explanatory.
Board members should note that the FAA letter that is subject of this agenda item, responds to
a letter dated October 26, 2017 to President Trump and carefully avoids the specific requests
made to the President. No request was made for an EIS for the new airport master plan. One
of the requests centered on a need for flight rules for the Georgetown Municipal Airport,
another requested a fully scoped EIS for the new PROGRAM of capital improvements proposed
by the new Airport Master Plan Update Federally funded by the 16MPGRGTN grant, another
focused on amendments to HR 2997-AIRR Act (no mention of FAA's involvement in that
amendment process) to (1) outlaw secret NEPA categorical exclusions by unelected officials, (2)
require EIS's for all airport planned construction PROGRAMS, and (3) require official airport
Sponsor's formal approval of categorical exclusions for all airport grants. Upon examination of
this FAA letter, board members will note that these requests were carefully avoided by this
federal agency. This is an old FAA tactic and is no surprise to the ACC.
You will note the attachments include a second FAA letter dated February 13, 2018 to me from
Mr. Black and the email response dated March 2, 2018. Both these FAA letters have been
appealed in detail to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in the Executive Office of the
President. The CEQ is charged in the NEPA to assist all federal agencies with compliance with
this federal law.
The ACC renews its requests for a GTAB open public workshop for full discussion on airport
operations, plans and grants. We also remain waiting for professional staff responses to
legitimate public requests regarding construction programs such as contained in the attached
copy of the May 12, 2017 statement which is respectfully requested be made part of this
statement.
Mr. Chairman, questions or comments from the board are welcome.
Adjournment
Motion by Noble, second by Hellmann. APPROVED 6-0-3 (Marler, Mills, and Hesser -
absent)
Meeting was Adjourned at 12:18 AM
Approved: Attested:
f ahn Mar er - Chair ��7� �`' Donna Courtney - Secretary
c� H A- L 1Z
Emily Koontz - GTAB Board Liaison