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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GTAB_04.12.2019Minutes of the Meeting of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board and the Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas April 12, 2019 The City of Georgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require assistance in participation at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined under the ADA, reasonable assistance, adaptations, or accommodations will be provided upon request. Please contact the City at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled meeting date, at (512)930-3652 or City Hall at 113 East 81h Street for additional information: TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Board Members Present: Ron Bindas — Board Chair, Dan Jones, Robert Redoutey, John Hesser, George Brown, Ercel Brashear, Doug Noble, Dan Jones Board Members Absent: Sheila Mills, Troy Hellmann Staff Present: Wes Wright, Emily Koontz, Ray Miller, Octavio Garza Others Present: Terry Reed -ACC, Carl Norris -ACC, John Milford -ACC, Philip Huntley — Garner, Michael Miles Regular Session A. Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Chairperson Ron Bindas at 10:OOam 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 Board Members and Visitors: All board members, visitors, and staff were introduced. C. Industry/CAMPO/TxDOT/Transit Updates: Miller gave updates. Updates included in the packet. TxDOT has been looking for ways to improve the intersection at SH29 and I35, but there are a lot of constraints such as existing businesses. Intersections are graded A-F and the proposed improvements allow the intersection to function at level C. The main drawback is that the first signal west of 35 at Wolf Lakes will function at level F which seems to be unavoidable. The city will work on synching and timing the signals to make traffic move as smooth as possible. Jones asked about timeframe. Miller replied that funding was not secured yet so the project is several years out. Wright added that there is a desire with TxDOT to expedite this project, but that once it begins he estimates it will perhaps be a ten year project due to the amount of traffic, retail, and growth in the area. Miller presented transit numbers for GoGeo. Brashear asked about usage on the routes and if there is a way to evaluate the ridership activity on a year to year basis to see whether it is increasing or decreasing. Noble asked about Lyft ridership numbers and Miller responded that they started the program in July 2018 and exceeded their funds of $25,000 by January 2019. D. March 2019 GTAB Updates — Wesley Wright, P.E. Systems Engineering Director/Michael Hallmark, CIP Manager. Wright gave updates. All updates included in the packet. E. Airport Monthly Update: November 2018 GTAB Updates: Garza gave updates. All reports included in the packet. Garza announced that an airport manager candidate has been offered the job and has accepted. Garza covered airport financials which are included in the packet. Brashear asked and Garza asked the fuel sales are a primary source of revenue for the airport. Bindas asked and Garza responded that the current hangar waitlist is over two hundred. Bindas asked if the city could look into building hangars at the airport or to find out what the financial implications are to build. Brown added that there was a study done several years ago about the shade hangars that Bindas was asking about. Brown explained that the study showed that cost to build and maintain versus the rental income from those hangars didn't justify it and that the city would have a better return on their investment with enclosed hangars. Bindas asked about more detailed financial reports and Garza replied that he can work on gathering more detailed information. 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: Carl Norris - 6 minutes (extra 3 minutes donated by John Milford) Legislative Regular Agenda F. Consideration and possible approval of the Minutes from the March 08, 2019 Meeting - Emily Koontz - Board Liaison. MOTION by Brashear, second by Brown to approve the minutes. APPROVED 7-0-2 (Hellmann and Mills - absent) G. Discussion on the proposed FY19 Capital Improvement Plan - Wesley Wright, P.E., Systems Engineering Director. Wright provided board members with a copy of the draft CIP plan. Further discussion and official presentation about the CIP will happen at the regular May meeting. (no action required) Adjournment Motion by Hesser, second by Brown. APPROVED 7-0-2 (Hellmann and Mills - absent) Meeting was Adjourned at 11:45 AM Approved: Attested: a11 indas 16hair Dan Jo es - Secretary Emily Ko n z - GTAB Bo aison GTAB STATEMENT APRIL 12, 2019 AGENDA ITEM "E" AIRPORT MONTHLY REPORT Good morning Mr. Chairman, and members of the GTAB. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. My residence is 4400 Luna Trail, Georgetown, Texas. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC). The ACC is a major community public interest stakeholder group demanding compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) demonstrated by preparation of a federal funded Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as appropriately amended for all major federal action taxpayer grants for the Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU). The current 52 project, $60 Million PROGRAM of new GTU capital improvements for continued expansion of aviation operations meets the criteria for a major federal action. This is the 92nd presentation by ACC members to the city council and GTAB since January 14, 2014. My comments this morning address the Master Plan Update portion of agenda item "E", Airport Monthly Report. Currently, three contested city council district positions are up for a May 4, 2019 Election. An underlying debate theme is focused on government transparency and accountability due to the secret conception, development and implementation of the city's electrical system renewable energy program fiscal debacle. Another publically unreported secret program of the city is the shroud of secrecy thrown over continuous aviation operations expansion through four GTU master plans since the 1980 plan and the 2016-2036 Airport Master Plan of this agenda. By implementation of these GTU master plans, based aircraft and take off and landing operations have expanded from 48 based aircraft and 85 operations per day in 1980 to over 500 aircraft and up to 764 operations per day proposed by the new Airport Master Plan and its $ 60 Million PROGRAM. In addition, the new PROGRAM includes doubling the strength of RW 18/36 and extending its length from 5,000 to 6,000 ft to accommodate dual or more wheeled aircraft of 150,000 lb gross weight or more and charter passenger aircraft of 80 to 100 passengers, thus adversely impacting the entire environmental character of the GTU. City council approved this new Airport Master Plan on September 11, 2018 and incorporated it into the 2030 Comprehensive Plan based on lies by city staff that it had been approved by both TxDOT and FAA. ACC demanded that city council demand staff documentation of such approvals, but council ignored the demand and passed the fraudulent Airport Master Plan and made it part of the city charter. As of today, seven months later, TxDOT and FAA have not approved the plan. By the staff briefing notes for this item, the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) is proposed for FAA approval this month. By FAA regulations, no grant may be implemented for a new planned PROGRAM project until after the ALP is approved. Doubling the strength of RW 18/36 with a $5,165,000 federal and state grant under the fraudulent guise of a previous planned project at 10% of the cost for its existing 5,000 if is one of the projects of the new PROGRAM. Upon completion, its new strength design will be used for its 1000 if extension. By silently ignoring FAA's own regulations, staff is advising this board that FAA is violating its own regulations and state statutes. By email dated April 11, 2019, this board was copied a January 22, 2019 email to federal officials citing five (5) principal reasons that FAA must reject any ALP approval proposed by the new Airport Master Plan. By email dated March 23, 2019 copied to District 5 Councilman, Kevin Pitts, this board was requested to respond to the councilman and ACC either that documentation of answers to four (4 ) commitment questions poised to him did not exist or with GTAB documentation responding to and addressing the four questions. With no response to the ACC, it is recorded that no such documentation exists for either option and governmental secrecy prevails for the four (4) critical airport expansion question issues of. denial of public workshops and hearings, the Airport Master Plan, RW 18-36 Rehabilitation, and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update. Mr. Chairman, the ACC demands full public information and transparency of the Airport Master Plan by GTAB sponsored public open meetings and hearings for planned GTU continued expansion of aviation operations.. The ACC will continue its demands to federal officials for preparation of an EIS for the GTU $60 Million PROGRAM.