HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-12-1996 Airport Commission Meeting Minutes MINUTES
IOWA CITY AIRPORT COMMISSION
THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 1996 - 5:45 P.M.
IOWA CITY TRANSIT FACILITY
MEMBERS PRESENT: Howard Horan, John Penick, Richard Blum
Rick Mascari, Pat Foster
STAFF PRESENT: Eleanor Dilkes, Ron O'Neil
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson Horan called the meeting to order at 5: 45 p.m. A
quorum was present.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The minutes of the November 14, 1996, meeting were approved as
submitted.
AUTHORIZATION OF EXPENDITURES:
Penick made a motion to approve the bills. Foster seconded the
motion. Blum asked about an $ 1800 bill for hangar # 35. O'Neil
said it was to repair wind damage to the 60 ' bifold door. The
motion was approved 5 - 0 .
PUBLIC DISCUSSION - ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA:
No comments were received.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/ACTION:
a. Iowa City Flying Service - lease - A counter-proposal to the
Commission's proposal was received. Mascari indicated this was
ICFS 's final offer. Because the next step may be arbitration,
Dilkes suggested the final offer be discussed in executive session.
Blum made a motion to table the discussion and schedule an
executive session. Penick seconded the motion and it passed 5 - 0.
A meeting was scheduled for December 16, 1996 at 12 : 00 p.m.
b. Gordon Aircraft - lease - O'Neil said the original agreement
was for one year with a one year extension. Gordon exercised the
option and the second year of the agreement will end on February
28, 1997 .
Blum and Horan will meet with Gordon on December 17 to discuss the
agreement. Gordon indicated he would like to negotiate a new
agreement.
c. Land acquisition and easements - consultant selection - O'Neil
had sent the Commission a list of criteria to use to evaluate the
three firms that were interviewed. O'Neil reminded the Commission
that if they were not satisfied or unsure that one of the firms
they interviewed could provide the services they needed, additional
firms should be interviewed.
Mascari questioned why price could not be one of the criteria.
O'Neil said that the FAA wants a sponsor to choose a consultant
based on qualifications and does not want price to influence the
decision. Because the Commission expects to be reimbursed for 90%
of the project, they need to follow the FAA regulations closely.
O'Neil said the Commission will have to be very careful in
developing the consultant contract and the scope of services
included in the contract. He suggested the contract be sent to the
FAA for review before it is finalized.
The Commission was in agreement that all the firms could provide
the services for the land acquisition and avigation easement
project. The question to be answered was, " What firm would do the
best job ?" After considerable discussion, the Commission limited
the choice to either ACSG or Snyder. The pros and cons of each of
their presentations were discussed.
After additional discussion, Blum moved to vote on hiring either
ACSG or Snyder. Mascari seconded the motion and it passed 5 - 0.
At roll call vote, ACSG received 3 votes, Snyder & Associates
received 2 votes. O'Neil will work with Dilkes to develop a
contract with ACSG and it will be on the agenda for the January
meeting. Blum commented, and the rest of the Commission agreed,
that it was a difficult choice and the firms were extremely close
in what they could do for the Airport.
d. Corporate hangar building - O'Neil said a proposal has been
made from a tenant to lease an 80 ' by 80 ' hangar. The tenant would
like to locate the hangar just south of the Airport Terminal. The
Commission had been reserving that area for future development of
a 100 ' by 100 ' hangar. Because ramp space is limited, the
Commission wanted to maximize the aviation use of the ramp.
Blum said that because the potential tenant is an aviation business
and not looking just for aircraft storage, he thought the ramp area
was an appropriate location. O'Neil said that whatever the
decision was, the Commission should have a signed lease before
approaching Council for funding for the hangar.
O'Neil said the main reason the avionics repair company was not
willing to sign a lease at this time was because they had not
received the FAA certification needed for an official avionics
repair station. They are still working on the licensing process
and may come back to the Commission at a later date.
Dennis Gordon, from Gordon Aircraft, said he would be interested in
leasing an 80 ' by 80 ' hangar east of hangar # 35. Blum and Horan
will meet with Gordon on December 17 to discuss the lease. They
will also meet with the other potential tenant to discuss location,
building size, and lease terms.
e. North commercial area - O'Neil said this is the area accessed
by Ruppert Road, north and west of Runway 17. He said he discussed
this area with Karin Franklin. She did not think the Planning
Department would have the time to help the Commission develop and
market the area.
O'Neil said there has been some interest in developing this area
for commercial and/or light industrial use. He suggested
discussing with the City Council the possibility of hiring a firm
to plan and market the area. The Commission directed O'Neil to
meet with Council at a work session and explain how the Commission
would like to develop the area to increase income for the Airport.
CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT:
Horan said he visited the Washington Airport and had an interesting
discussion on how that airport is operated.
COMMISSION MEMBERS' REPORTS:
Blum reported that all the zoning lawsuits against the Airport have
been dismissed. He said the success the City had in the
Fitzgerrald and Hagen cases, as well as the negotiations in the
West Side suit, prompted the dismissals.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT:
O'Neil reminded Blum, who is chairperson of the Airport Zoning
Commission, that the Commission needed to meet to revise the zoning
ordinance to reflect the changes in the 1996 Airport Master Plan.
Blum said he has been working on revisions to the zoning ordinance.
He would like to simplify it to say local airport zoning will
mirror FAA airspace regulations.
O'Neil said a notice will go out in the next hangar billing notices
to remind the tenants to follow fire and safety regulations
concerning extension cords, storage of petroleum products and use
of portable heaters. O'Neil will ask ICFS to include a notice in
their hangar bills.
A copy of the governor's latest tax proposal was included in the
Commission's information packet. O'Neil suggested the Commission
read the information. The proposal would not be favorable to
municipalities, which in turn could adversely affect airports.
360 Communications would like to increase the height of their tower
located 2 miles west of the Airport. It would be an obstruction by
65 ' . O'Neil suggested as many people as possible comment and
object to the tower as an obstruction to the Airport.
SET NEXT MEETING:
The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 16, 1997 , at
5:45 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT:
Blum moved to adjourn the meeting. Foster seconded the motion and
the meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
Ho and Horan, C airperson