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Date:  Thursday July 08, 2021 (07/08/21)

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AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA
Thursday, July 8, 2021
5:30pm
Airport Administration Building
8807 Airport Boulevard
Leesburg, Florida

 

  1.   Call to Order
    • Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
  1.   Approval of Minutes – May13, 2021 
  1. Project Update
    • US Customs & Border Protection Office Interior Remodel
    • Runway 13/31 Rehab (temporarily paused)
    • Main Ramp Resurfacing (temporarily paused)
    • Public Works Lift Station Rehab
  1. Airport Manager Update
    • FY 21/22 Proposed Airport Budget Overview
    • City Commission - Airport Impacts/Issues
  1. New Business 
  1. Adjournment

 

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE, ADA COORDINATOR, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AT 352-728-9740


Airport Advisory Board Minutes
July 8, 2021 5:30pm
Airport Administration Building
8807 Airport Boulevard
Leesburg, Florida
 

 

Attendance:                 Tweet Coleman 
                                            Fred Griffin, Jr. 
                                            Byron Oldham 
                                           Alan Reisman 
                                           Bo Wroten 

Call to Order

Vice-Chairman Bo Wroten called the meeting to order at 5:33pm.

Fred Griffin gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes from May 13, 2021

Tweet Coleman made a motion to accept the minutes from the May 13, 2021 meeting as written.  Byron Oldham seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously (4 – 0).

Project Update

RW 13/31 Rehab:  Airport Manager (AM) Dean said this project is paused.  It is essentially complete except for two items related to renumbering and signage due to runway 3/21 changing to 4/22.  The FAA publication with the new numbers will not be published until January 2022, and they do not allow extended NOTAMs; therefore, the work to repaint the numbers cannot be completed until just before the data is published.  The contractor will return to the airport at the end of the year to finish this part of the project.  It should only take about a week and will not impact runway 13/31.

Main Ramp Resurfacing:  AM Dean said FDOT has issued a partial grant in the amount of $1 million for the construction portion of this project.  Those funds will come from the FDOT budget year that ended on June 30th.  After the project is bid later this month and actual cost numbers are received, FDOT will amend the grant to add the additional funding as needed.

Public Works Lift Station Rehab:  AM Dean said she believes the underground work for this project is done.   There is some concrete, electric and fencing work left to do.  She does not have a timeline for completion.

US Customs and Border Protection Interior Remodel:  AM Dean said the contractor advised during the last meeting that he anticipates having the work done by July 11th.  She believes it may take a bit longer.  There have been some supply chain issues and there are still a few smaller things that have not been received.  She thinks the Customs officer can operate safely while waiting for those items and is hoping US Customs will allow the office to go ahead and open once it is substantially complete.  She wants to have the temporary office trailer removed on July 16th.

Brian Sapp from SunAir asked when the PAPI’s will be operational.  AM Dean said it may be a while yet.  The process for getting FAA approval is different for new versus a repair.  The certification process for new has several more steps and Wilbur Mathurin from Hoyle Tanner said it could take as long as six months to get everything completed.

Chairman Reisman arrived at 5:42pm.

Airport Manager Update

 FY 2021/22 Proposed Airport Budget Overview:  AM Dean said the workshop with the City Commission to review the Airport budget is next Tuesday.  The packet provided to the Board members today includes five pages of information from the budget document.

AM Dean said the City process for creating a budget is to balance to zero.  Revenues and expenses must equal out.  If projected expenses exceed revenues, they must appropriate fund balance (cash) into the revenue projection.  If projected revenues exceed expenses, the difference is budgeted in an account under reserves to ultimately end up at zero.

The first page in the packet shows a summary of the budget with revenues and appropriations.  The total proposed budget is $2,740,251.  Revenue has several categories.  She noted Intergovernmental Revenues is state and federal grant funding.   Miscellaneous covers all income from property rentals, tie-downs and fuel fees.  Appropriations are divided into operating and capital projects.

The second page provides details on the various revenue sources.  She noted there is a data entry error on the tie down rents.  Two years show negative and that is not right.  Those columns will be corrected on the final document.  Vice-Chairman Wroten asked why rental property income is projected to go down.  AM Dean said that line is the 441 property leases.  She noted that in a previous meeting it was discussed that Ruby Tuesday was filing bankruptcy and as a result their lease agreement was changed.  They are now paying a lower rate and that is reflected in these numbers.  They were paying $5300 per month and are now paying $4000.  Bo Wroten asked if the lease was approved by the City before or after their bankruptcy plan was approved by the courts.  AM Dean said she does not how the legalities of bankruptcy work.  City Attorney Morrison did review the agreement and it was presented to the City by Ruby Tuesday without any room for negotiation.  Ruby Tuesday said if the City did not okay this agreement they would simply close the restaurant.  Chairman Alan Reisman noted the City Commission felt their hands were tied on this issue.

AM Dean noted that the line for hangar rentals also shows a decrease.  The biggest share of this is from the Skybolt lease.  They were paying $72,000 annually and the new lease called for a one-time lump sum payment of $500,000 which breaks down to $25,000 each year plus the land rent.  The Av Mech hangar – now leased to the Leesburg Hangars, LLC group – was calculated in the budget with $0 income because she did not know what was going to happen with it.  The lease that was signed will add about $14,000 annually to the budget.  Byron Oldham asked if the rent for the new t-hangars will offset some of that.  AM Dean said they generate about $61,000 annually and that is included in the budget.  She also noted the increases built into leases vary and have many different methods and calculations, so she errs on the side of caution when preparing the budget.

AM Dean said for fuel sales predictions she uses a six-year average.  Chairman Reisman asked for confirmation that fuel sales is the fuel flowage fee paid by some tenants.  AM Dean said that is correct.  She said the tie-down amount is set.  There is nothing included in the “Other” category.  That is where cash brought over from the airport’s fund balance in order to balance the budget to zero would show, if it was needed

AM Dean said the appropriations detail includes personnel and operating costs.  Two of the biggest lines are 4620 (Repairs & Maintenance – Building) and 4625 (Repairs & Maintenance – Non Building).  The 4620 category covers all buildings that are the City’s responsibility to keep up.  It fluctuates from year to year.  It was higher than usual in 2018-19 because extensive work was done on the Echo t-hangars that year.  Fiscal year 2020-21 is also higher because it reflects the CARES Act funds that the airport received from the FAA.  She has projected about $70K for the coming year but noted it is very hard to predict.  The 4625 category covers items such as cameras, gates, airfield lighting, tree work, etc.  The highest expenses in this line include gates (which average about $13K per year) and lighting repairs (which average about $11K per year).

The next page has the allocation breakdown.  The City’s Enterprise Funds, including the airport, have to work within their own revenues.  Each Enterprise Fund has an allocation cost to the various City general fund departments that provide them services.  The Budget Manager has a formula that determines the dollar amounts.  For example, the Purchasing Department does a lot of work when the airport has projects that must be bid.  In years when there are more projects and their services are utilized more, their allocation is higher.  The IT Department does a lot with regard to cameras, access control, computers, printers, etc.  Bo Wroten said the IT costs seem a little high to him.  He also asked if it would be possible to add a page to the Airport section of the website showing the hangar waiting lists so people can check and see where they are on the lists.  AM Dean said she can see good and bad with doing that.  It is something we can consider. 

AM Dean said the Other Uses section includes reserve funds.  If revenue projections exceed expense projections, the difference is placed in this account.  Should it be needed during the year due to unforeseen costs, it is available. If not used, it is transferred back into fund balance at the end of the year.

The last page the Board was provided shows funds for Capital Improvements. There are a few projects included in the budget.

There is $130K in 3130 to cover the costs of a Wildlife Hazard Assessment.  An assessment was done in 2012.  She does not believe it is accurate and the FAA has agreed to fund another study.  The 2012 study only mentions issues with birds and there is obviously more wildlife than that on the property or she would not have to hire a trapper.  The anticipated funding breakdown is 90% FAA, 8% FDOT and 2% Airport. 

The $150K in 6210 is to reroof the 12-unit t-hangars on Echo and repair the C channels that support the roof.  AM Dean said we have already invested money in several repairs to this building and she feels the additional repairs are warranted.  Chairman Reisman noted they just reroofed an 8,000 sq.ft. hangar at a cost of $65K.  AM Dean said that is good to know.  Once the budget is OK’d she will be able to move forward with getting quotes for the work. 

AM Dean said the $1.5 million in 6310 is for the construction of a new fuel farm.  This is based on Master Plan numbers so the price at today’s costs will probably be higher.  The design is in the current year and that process should start before September.  It will be an 80/20 FDOT grant.  The new continuing services contract for airport engineering is on next week’s City Commission agenda and once that is approved this can move forward.  Chairman Reisman asked if the plan is to move the fuel farm.  AM Dean said the Master Plan shows it on the west side of the airport in front of the Blackbird Aviation hangar.  She believes the first order of business should be a feasibility study to determine if it should be moved or stay in the existing location.  If it is moved it will require new FDEP and EPA permitting and an access road must be built.  They can get more “bang for the buck” if it is kept at the current site.  She doesn’t want to drag the project out but thinks it is important for the Board to discuss the pros and cons of both options. 

The cost budgeted in 6410 is to upgrade the current tractor to a unit with more horsepower and an enclosed cab.  Chairman Reisman asked if the current tractor has value as a trade-in. Am Dean said it will be used as a trade-in and the bucket and bush hog will be kept to use with the new model.

AM Dean said the airport budget will be discussed at the City Commission Workshop set for July 13th at 5:30pm.  It will be held at the Venetian Center.  The Airport Board members are welcome to attend.  Chairman Reisman suggested Board members contact their Commissioner before the workshop.

Tweet Coleman asked what is happening at the end of Wilco Drive.  AM Dean said that is the lift station project.  The improvements included upgrading the equipment and putting it underground.  It also increased capacity and improved the aesthetics and odor control   It should be done soon.

 New Business

Byron Oldham noted this is the first meeting they have had since the Brainerd accident.  He expressed his sympathy and asked if there are any concerns the airport needs to be aware of regarding this, such as anything from the FAA.  Chairman Reisman said the investigation is ongoing and will take about a year to compete.  He expressed thanks for the response of the police and fire departments.  He noted that all affects should be internal to Brainerd.  There should be nothing for the airport.  AM Dean agreed that it should not affect the airport.  The FAA and NTSB are handling it with Brainerd.

Chairman Reisman asked how many consultants submitted responses for the engineering contract.  AM Dean said three companies submitted proposals.  Chairman Reisman asked if AvCon submitted.  AM Dean said they did not.

Adjournment

Byron Oldham made a motion to adjourn.  The motion was seconded by Tweet Coleman and the meeting adjourned at 6:15pm.

Alan Reisman                              
Chairman

Pam Hester                                     
Recorder