HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-17-2002AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
Bill Peloza, chairman, called the meeting to order at 8:00 am.
Members present are Bud Buchanan, Rodger Campbell, ' Don Rottle and Ron Wanttaja.
Staff present, are Paul Krauss, Planning Director; Mark Ellingson, Safety Manager; and
Carolyn Brown, Secretary
The August 20 minutes were read with one change on Page 2, ~ paragraph. The last
sentence appears incomplete. The sentence was completed to read: "Discussed the signs
and Airport staff will uncover the signs about the southbound departures procedures". The
minutes were then approved as amended.
OLD BUSINESS
Planning Director Planning Director Krauss discussed the status of the Airport
Manager. John Anderson has retired on disability. The staff at the Airport is Jim Martin,
Dennis Morgan, Jeff Wilson from Parks Department and Safety ManagerMark Ellingson, on
loan from Human Resources. The repairs and maintenance projects are being completed.
The City will be advertising for a working supervisor, not just an administrative position.
Initially the person hired will be on a 6-month appointment. This will give the City time to
decide if this is the format that will be used permanently. Safety Manager Ellingson said he
has spoken with Bruce Thun, who is the manager at Thun Field in Puyallup, in order to get
an idea as how the City wants the position to be handled.
Board member Rodger Campbell asked if the City is still thinking about leasing out
the airport? Planning Director Krauss answered this is among several options being
considered and that is why the Airport working supervisor position will be for six-months
only. Planning Director Krauss added that the Airport once had a staff of 5, now it is down to
3. John Gallo said he would like to see the Airport staff have uniforms. Safety Manager
Ellingson said a clothing allowance has been provided to Airport staff and shirts have been
purchased that have "Auburn Airport Staff" printed on them. Also, coveralls have been
purchased. Board member Campbell would like to see a contractor take over and manage
the airport so the city doesn't have the extra expenses. Planning Director Krauss said
several proposals are being discussed but the Airport will be maintained for now as is.
Eventually the City may put out for bid, but for now staff is trying to run as well as possible.
Planning Director Krauss added that staff has made visible progress such, landscaping,
crack sealing, and repairs on hangars. Planning Director Krauss has talked to Mayor Lewis
and decided that there is approximately 6 months to come up witl~ a decision and hopefully
that will be before spring. Planning Director Krauss said that he has looked at a lot of
different models, but there are few examples of General Aviation (GA) airports being
operated privately. John Gallo asked about the profit margin. Planning Director Krauss
stated that there is income stream, and is up a few hundred thousand a year from a few
years ago. Board member Campbell added that the Airport has declined in the past years
and should see it pdvatized as the Airport has been neglected for 30 years by the City.
The second item on the agenda is the letter to Helicopters NW and Classic Helicopter
Corporation regarding the concerns of the Airport on helicopter operations. Chairman
Peloza discussed the letter that was attached as part of the agenda. Board member Ron
Wanttaja said there were actually two meetings held between the Airport committee and the
helicopter group. Planning Director Krauss referred to one section of the letter that
MINUTES OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
referenced future building of hangars. It is no longer hypothetical about building more
hangars as the hangars are now being built.
The orientation packet for new and old tenants is close to being completed.
Board member Ron Wanttaja said there will be the common sense guideline and
pattern map in the booklet. Chairman Peloza asked if staff would put together a letter to
hand out to new tenants. Safety Manager Ellingson said he found a booklet at the office and
Board member Wanttaja said this is something that could be included in the packet.
However, it is dated 1969. Safety Manager Ellingson said he has seen that there is a need
for the rules and regulations booklet to be handed out to tenants. Planning Director Krauss
added that the Board members can review and update. Planning Director Krauss said that
some areas might reflect city code. Chairman Peloza said a new one should be included in
a handout. Planning Director Krauss added that he would like to see the new format and
just one hand out. Safety Manager Ellingson indicated that Thun Field has a very nice rules
and regulations booklet, maybe Board members Wanttaja and Rottle could look at it and use
as a pattern. Jamelle Garcia noted that he has received the rules and regulations forms.
Chairman Peloza asked if staff could put together a letter and packet to all tenants and to
condo association by the next meeting and we can hand it out. Planning Director Krauss
answered that he would like to see it come back to AAB one more time. Safety Manager
Ellingson questioned if the booklet has been compared to the city code?
Board member Rottle asked to make sure the pattern information is satisfactory.
Planning Director Krauss added that he will call Cayla Morgan of the FAA. Jamelle Garcia
will check with Scott Gordon, also. Planning Director Krauss stated that he wants to make
sure it is the FAA system, and Jamelle said he can put it out as a notice to airmen (NOTAM)
and as an advisory on the Super Unicom. Planning Director Krauss added that if we can
modify we should change to advise that the pattern altitude is now 1000 feet. Jamelle will
check with FAA to be sure. Planning Director Krauss said that by the next meeting it will be
in place. Chairman Peloza asked Jamelle if he will check with FAA and get back with staff to
generate a letter and put the new pattern in the letter.
The fourth item on the agenda is delinquent tenant accounts. Finance provided an
updated on 9-12-02 and the AAB compared it to 8-1-02 statement. Tenants in arrears 90
days and over has come down about $400. Chairman Peloza asked if the City was taking
action to alleviate delinquencies. Planning Director Krauss answered that the Airport staff is
working with finance take action such as chaining up the airplanes. Discussion by AAB of
the delinquent accounts. Chairman Peloza asked what kind o~ other action can we take?
Planning Director Krauss answered that Finance will send out l_~t, 2nd, and 3rd notices and
then send the delinquent account to collections. The RCW read to that affect about chaining
up the airplanes and eventually selling the plane to recoup the costs to the City. Chairman
Peloza read a letter dated in June sitting the code and the fact that the plane had been
chained up. Planning Director Krauss will come back with the policy and how to take action.
Safety Manager Ellingson will check with finance and how to take action. VVill readdress this
at the October meeting.
Item 5 is the information letter to all tenants, requesting feed back on the new
security company. Board member Wanttaja would like to combine the new lock information,
orientation package and other new information to tenants in the same letter / packet.
Tenants could either pick up at the office and the information could be mailed. Safety
Manager Ellingson said he could generate a news letter. Planning Director Krauss would
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MINUTES OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
like to see the information go out as pieces instead of a large package that will take time to
put together. John Gallo reported that the security has been visiUe.
Planning Director Krauss said the City Council has discussed the budget. Capital
improvement has been budgeted to complete the fencing. At the meeting Council member
Sue Singer asked about the security at the airport. Planning Director Krauss said t is better
but the Airport still wants to fence. Council member Singer suggested that if there is a $3
surcharge for the security then how about a surcharge for the fencing that will come off when
the fence is completed. John Gallo suggested the City present as an entire security
package. Board member Wanttaja added maybe $3 to security and $2 for the fence. The
question is would the fence surcharge come off when the fence is finished? John Gallo
stated that the City should leave it on as a security budget. Board member Campbell agrees
with Board member VVanttaja that the amount charged for the fence security should be
dropped when the fence is complete.
Chairman Peloza asked Planning Director Krauss to work up a letter and bring back to the
AAB in October.
Chairman Peloza asked if everyone agreed that something needs to go out to tenants right
away. All agreed. Planning Director Krauss said everyone needs to know what is going on
nOW.
Safety Manager Ellingson said the Airport information 'has been added to the City
web site and the address is www.ci.auburn.wa.us At this time the flight pattern needs to be
added to the site. Chairman Peloza added that he would like to have a hard copy for AAB
members. Safety Manager Ellingson has printed that out, but would Board member
Wanttaja to review what is on the web site and add his suggestions.
About the CPS letter to the FAA, Planning Director Krauss said it is in a packet going
to Oklahoma City. Safety Manager Ellingson stated that he spoke with Jan Olson yesterday
and was told that the letter and packet has not gone because the obstruction survey is not
complete. The packet is still sitting on Mr. Olson's desk and he will get back with Safety
Manager Ellingson to find out what needs to be done. Planning Director Krauss said that
two years ago Mark Napier with VVH Pacific submitted the survey to Mr. Olson.
Item 8 is that fencing grant status for the west side of the airport runway, and staff will
make recommendation based on Council member Singer's re(~ommendation.
Safety Manager Ellingson said all the grass has been cut. This usually takes 3-4
days, as staff uses the Airports mower to cut the grass. Planning Director Krauss said the
City actually has bigger mowers, but they belong to the Parks Department and are hard to
borrow in the summer. Safety Manager Ellingson said the Airport mower has a six-foot cut.
It was not knoWn if a larger blade could be applied. Airport staff will continue to Cut the grass
per Safety Manager Ellingson.
Planning Director Krauss had nothing new to report on the status of the Metro Park
and Ride property. Since King County has approached the City to take over some of the
King County parks, that could be used as a bargaining tool.
The operational signs have been uncovered and all can see the southbound
departure procedures.
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MINUTES OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
Chairman Peloza said that last night the City Council approved Ordinance 5694, to
go into affect on January 1, 2003 that asked for a 3% across the board increase for storage,
hangars, tie downs and $3 for increased security. Letter to go out to tenants notifying of the
increase, include fee schedule.
Item 13 is the status of Hangars 7 & 2. Last night the City Council approved going
out for bids. The bids are due back to the rdd-October City Council meeting. Planning
Director Krauss hopes to get the projects finished by the end of November. Planning
Director Krauss won't know how much repair needs to be done until the old roof is torn off.-
Safety Manager Ellingson asked about rot in the header beams. Planning Director Krauss
said if any money is left over the beams could be replaced. Planning Director Krauss would
like the building inspectors to see if beams are superficially damaged or totally rotten. John
Gallo said the beams could be replaced with steel headers. Planning Director Krauss said it
could be more work. Safety Manager Ellingson said the wood is not the problem, it is the
lack of maintenance. Staff is trying to get all header beams covered and also, are painting
the fascia boards. Planning Director Krauss will call Jeff Weir, Building Division Manager.
For item 14 Planning Director Krauss included a copy of the Puget Sound Regional
Strategic Plan. Planning Director Krauss said that the network of airports are being
discussed as a regional system. Planning Director Krauss is currently reviewing. One of the
negatives is that there should be money attached to a regional system. There should be a
system where funding existed for GA system. Also, the Plan made comments about
Auburn, that had some truth but were mostly wrong. Said Auburn would never have an.
instrument approach, but the Airport now has the GPS approach. It also discussed the lack
of room for growth, yet the airport is growing.
NEW BUSINESS
Board member Wanttaja said that two weeks ago an airplane blew a tire and the
runway was blocked for quite awhile until the tire could be changed. He wanted to know if
there is room to store emergency equipment, such as a jack, dolly, etc. that couldbe
accessed for such an occurrence? John Gallo said the large cracks in the pavement caused
the dolly they used to get stuck. The people working had to use a piece of sheet metal to
cover the cracks in order to get across. The cracks were on the taxiway. Board member
Wanttaja said the recovery gear could be accessible by using the access card key. Then
there would be someway to identify who uses the equipment. 'Jamelle said he is working on
an emergency team for airplane recovery. Also, a tire could be .replaced with a loaner tire.
Jamelle added that he has purchased an aircraft tug and will have it available at the Auburn
Flight Service building.
The FAA grant to resurface the runway will be for fiscal year 2003. Planning Director
Krauss and finance have been discussing the grant.
Adjourn 9:10 am. Next meeting on October 15, 2002 at 8:00 am in Auburn City Hall
ResPectively submitted by Carolyn Brown, Secretary
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