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Date:  Thursday March 10, 2022 (03/10/22)

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AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA
Thursday, March 10, 2022
5:30pm
Airport Administration Building
8807 Airport Boulevard
Leesburg, Florida  

 

  1. Call to Order
    • Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 
  1. Approval of Minutes – February 10, 2022 
  1. Assignment of Leasehold at 32746 Echo Drive from 9020AB, LLC to TEEM Properties, LLC 
  1. Project Update
    • US Customs & Border Protection Office Interior Remodel
    • Main Ramp Resurfacing
    • FY 2022 Hangar Design
    • Fuel Farm Design 
  1. Chairman Discussion Items:
    •   Status of Wilco Drive entrance upgrades and pond cleanup
    •   Landside mowing update:
      1. What will happen to the current airport equipment that the airport enterprise fund purchased
      2. What will happen to the money budgeted for the new tractor
    •   Lift Station
    •   Veterans Road  
  1. Airport Manager Update
    • City Commission – Airport Impacts/Issues 
  1. New Business 
  1. Adjournment

 

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Airport Advisory Board Minutes
March 10, 2022 5:30pm
Airport Administration Building
8807 Airport Boulevard
Leesburg, Florida

 

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

Call to Order

Chairman Alan Reisman called the meeting to order at 5:30pm.

Chairman Reisman gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes from February 10, 2022

Tweet Coleman made a motion to approve the minutes from the February 10, 2022 meeting as written.  Fred Griffin, Jr. seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

 Assignment of Leasehold at 32746 Echo Drive from 9020AB, LLC to TEEM Properties, LLC

Airport Manager (AM) Dean said this site is currently leased by 9020AB, LLC, owned by Kai Bogan.  It is the old Tropical Helicopter building.  The lessee wishes to assign  the lease for this site to TEEM Properties.  Mr. Michael Baulsir from TEEM Properties is in attendance today.

AM Dean said the City must give permission for the lease to be assigned.  The new lessee will take over the existing terms of the agreement so there is no fiscal impact to the airport.

Chairman Reisman asked for some background information on TEEM Properties.  Mike Baulsir said they are a commercial real estate firm.  They operate up and down the east coast.  They have a couple of airplanes they use for business travel.  They will probably keep their Citation at this location.  He said he is a resident of The Villages.

Byron Oldham asked about their plans for the hangar.  Mike Baulsir said they will use it to store their aircraft.  He noted he also flies for Angel Flight and Pilots and Paws.  He is looking into working with a larger organization that is similar to Angel Flight.

Byron Oldham made a motion to approve the agreement.  Tweet Coleman seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

 Project Update

US Customs and Border Protection Interior Remodel:  Jack Thompson from GAI said the to-do list is down to programming some of the security pieces.  That will probably be done in a couple weeks.  They are holding the contractor’s final pay application until all the work is completed.

Chairman Reisman asked if USCBP is currently using the facility and, if so, have we received any feedback.  AM Dean said they are using the facility and she has not been made aware of any issues.  She noted they still do not have a permanent agent.  Chairman Reisman asked when an agent will be assigned.  AM Dean said based on her conversations with US Customs, she is hoping that will be done in about two weeks or so.

Main Ramp Resurfacing:  Jack Thompson from GAI said there is a meeting with the tenants set for next week to go over the project schedule.  The contractor will be on site on March 28th.  This will be a hard-hitting, fast-moving project.  The apron will be much better and safer when the project is complete.

Chairman Reisman asked if they will still be able to use some of the millings around the tower.  Jack Thompson said they are working on a solution that will stabilize the area and still allow water to perk through.

AM Dean noted they plan to submit this for “Project of the Year”.

FY 2022 Hangar Design:  Jack Thompson from GAI said the survey and geo-tech work are done.  They have started laying out hard surfaces and buildings.  They are checking grades and looking at the taxilanes and object free areas.  They should have a schematic design in the next couple weeks.  They are working to ensure the plan allows the maximum number of buildings possible in the space.  The pond will have an effect on the design.

Jack Thompson said the demand for hangars throughout Florida is incredible right now.  Every airport needs and wants to build hangars.  Byron Oldham asked Jack Thompson why he thinks this is happening.  Jack Thompson said he believes much of it has ben caused by the number of people who have moved to the state and brought airplanes with them.  The market is saturated.

Fuel Farm:  Jack Thompson said they have started the white paper for this project to look at the existing site versus the proposed site.  It will include site layouts and improvements.  They have started the inspection process for the current tanks to determine their condition and whether they can be reused or need to be replaced.  The paper will cover the pros and cons of the two sites along with the costs.

Chairman Discussion Items

 1.  Status of Wilco Drive entrance upgrades and pond cleanup:

AM Dean said she has worked with the Deputy Public Works Director on ideas for the pond.  He brought several vendors to the site to evaluate it and also met with FWC to find out what can and cannot be removed.  FWC advised that there nothing in the area that is protected. 

One idea is to build a retaining wall along the edge of the pond in the area of the backside of the building.  He estimated that cost at about $50,000.00.  They would then need to have the area all around the pond de-rooted, harvested and just generally cleaned up at an estimated cost of $25,000.00.  That does not include any new plantings or landscaping.

A second idea is to work with Tip Top Trees who has a continuing services contract with the City.  The owner of Tip Top is an arborist.  He suggested cleaning up the northeast edge of the pond to the back side of the Administration Building and planting cypress trees.  Their roots are stabilizing and would eliminate the need for a wall.  They can use smaller trees and space them apart so there will still be views of the pond.  Along the bank by the Administration Building and the 441 side they can plant shrubs such as plumbagoes.  The shrubs will fill in and cover some of the unsightly areas.  Along Wilco he suggested cleaning up the palmettos but leaving most of them since they are a native species.  The dead oaks would be removed and the remaining oaks would be trimmed and de-mossed and the canopy would be raised.  The total for all of that work is estimated at about $61,000.00. 

Fred Griffin, Jr. asked how confident AM Dean is about his work, noting that she said the company is already under contract with the City.  AM Dean said he has done work for a number of City departments and has been under contract for a long time.  He is extremely knowledgeable.  She thinks the plan with Tip Top is good.  Byron Oldham said if the plan with the cypress trees does not work we will be back in the same place we are now.  However, knowing how cypress trees grow, it makes sense that they would stabilize the ground.  Chairman Reisman said he thinks the cost estimate for the retaining wall is low.  They recently got a quote for a similar structure and it was much higher.  He likes the second option, especially since they are already under contract.  Tweet Coleman asked when they would be able to start.  AM Dean said that will depend on if the agreement has to go to the City Commission.  The Purchasing thresholds were recently changed so she’s needs to check on that.  She is hopeful they can get started soon.  Chairman Reisman said he would like for the contractor to put down some type of ground cover such as grass seed or mulch in the area around where the cypress will be planted.  AM Dean said the water level in the pond is extremely low right now.  She does not know if it would just wash into the pond when the water gets higher.  She can ask the contractor.  Chairmen Reisman suggested  they might even be able to chip up the trimmings from the oak trees and use that as mulch.

Tweet Coleman made a motion to recommend option two, the proposal from Tip Top, at a cost of $61,384.00.  Byron Oldham seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. 

2.  Landside mowing update:

  • What will happen to the current airport equipment that the airport enterprise fund purchased?

AM Dean said they are still working on a plan for the landside mowing.  The equipment has been transferred to other departments.  The tractor had a value of $20,000.  That amount will be transferred to the airport fund.  The remaining equipment had no sale value, but the airport will no longer pay lease fees for those items. 

  • What will happen to the money budgeted for the new tractor?

AM Dean said $65,000 was approved in the current budget for the tractor purchase.  That amount will go back into the airport cash. 

3.  Lift Station:   

Chairman Reisman said they noticed a strong odor from the lift station last week.  He called the Public Works Director and they are working to address that.

4.  Veterans Road:  

Chairman Reisman asked if it is the responsibility of the airport or Fire Department to trim the oak trees that hand over the road along Veterans Road.  AM Dean noted it is very wet in that area so it is hard to get equipment in to clean and mow it.  Chairman Reisman suggested getting a quote from Tip Top to do some trimming.

Airport Manager Update 
City Commission – Airport Impacts/Issues

AM Dean said she has no items.

Chairman Reisman asked why the upcoming City Commission agenda includes a lease with Lake 100 for a room in the Airport Administration Building when the agreement was not presented to the Airport Advisory Board.  AM Dean said Mr. Minner asked for that item to be placed on the agenda.  It is a five-year agreement for the back room (known as the sun room) at a rate of $300.00 per month.  Tweet Coleman asked how that rate was determined. AM Dean said she did not know how the rate was set.   

Chairman Reisman said he has spoken to two commissioners and both questioned why the agreement was not reviewed by this Board.  They feel the rate is too low.  He has a problem with how this was handled and believes it sets a bad precedent.  He noted that Lake 100 is a group of local business people that are trying to privatize economic development in Lake County.  He said there needs to be clarification on exactly what they need such as utilities, improvements to the room, etc.  The lease also allows them to use the conference room and he thinks there should be an additional fee associated with that.  He’s not saying it’s good or bad, but this Board needs additional information.  He said Commissioner Burry mentioned how the sheriff’s lease is being handled versus this one.  He suggested that Board members talk to their commissioners and recommend that the agreement be brought back to this Board. 

New Business

Chairman Reisman asked if there is a way to remove the access code for the security gates because people are using that instead of their badges.  It also seems that the code has been given out to a lot of people.  He said there is also a problem with people piggybacking through the gates and questioned how that can be stopped.   AM Dean said there is really no way to stop the piggybacking.  She could have signs installed, but people are not going to pay attention to them.  Byron Oldham said he can see a need for a gate code, but perhaps it should be changed periodically.  AM Dean said she does have the ability to change/delete the gate codes.  She is reluctant to discuss this issue too much because it is part of the airport security plan which is not public record. 

Adjournment

Byron Oldham made a motion to adjourn.  The motion was seconded by Tweet Coleman and the meeting adjourned at 6:13pm.

Alan Reisman      
Chairman

P. Hester 
Recorder