Board Members in Attendance: Rick Bryant, Travis Atwood, Gary Fish, Paul Stewart, and Bob Newton

Rick Bryant called the meeting to order at 6:45 PM.  Rick Bryant recorded the minutes for the ailing David Downing.

 

1.                  Review and approval of October meeting minutes

The November meeting minutes were reviewed and approved by a 5-0 vote.

2.                  Airport Manager's Report

A.                 2003 Annual Report

Debbie Van Saun presented an annual report to the board of activities and highlights from the just completed year. This report will be presented to the City Commissioners and be located on the city’s website for the public to better understand our airport activity. The board complimented her on the presentation and detail of the report which some board members pointed they had not seen in several years on the board.

 

B.                Runway 1/19 Project

The US Senate passed the Appropriation Bill on Jan. 22 and sent it on to President Bush for his signature and passage into law. Once all the ink is dry then the City, FAA and Airport Development Group will begin engineering and construction activities for improvements to Runway 1/19 in 2004.

 

C.                Maintenance update

City staff continues working on the following maintenance items:

o       City staff has received one price quote for $10,000 on an electric gate with card reader for admittance. Staff is reviewing budget for funds availability for possible purchase. A temporary fence might be erected onto entrance to apron east of the terminal building to impede present vehicular traffic.

o       Barricades in position on abandoned taxiway

o       Spring project in terminal building - replacement of floor tiles in men’s restroom and partitions, painting

o       Tree topping ongoing – Park & Rec staff did some topping off on approach to Runway 15, but need landowner’s permission to continue activity north of Mud Creek per easement agreement. Some surveying activity and topping to occur in approach to Runway 1.

 

Debbie also briefly discussed a review and re-adjustment to the airport’s bad weather policy and runway clearance procedures. With recent icing situation, airport activity was closed for a day as staff worked to remove ice from runways. She will have a new procedure in place soon to expedite ice removal from airport surfaces to keep operations open and safe.

 

3.                  FBO Report

Lloyd Hetrick presented the following items:

A.                 Wi – Fi in the lobby

Lloyd announced a new customer convenience in the terminal lobby area. Through his local Internet Service Provider, Sunflower Broadband, the terminal area is now a wireless Internet area for individuals using laptops and the lastest ‘WiFi’ or wireless technology. Individuals may also connect via jack to a wall outlet if not wireless equipped. This is a free service from Hetrick Air Services, and does not require an account, password or prepaid access card.

B.                Learn to Fly Night

Lloyd announced another ‘Learn to Fly’ night with Cessna Pilot Training Center folks for March 21.

C.                Beacon light restored

The airport beacon light has been restored to full service after installation of a faulty breaker, according to Lloyd.

D.                Property Tax Awareness

Lloyd told the Board about his experience with a recent change in property tax interpretation by the state of Kansas. Under the old interpretation, aviation businesses would receive 100 percent exemption from property tax for airplanes used in their business, i.e. – rental aircraft. But a new interpretation has reversed course and will tax the property owner a pro-rated share if the equipment is rented from the business for a personal use – i.e. A private pilot rents an aircraft from Hetrick Air Services, Inc. for a personal flight. Kansas will now tax Hetrick  property tax on the pro-rated flight time by the pilot who rented the business property from Hetrick.

Lloyd is working with individuals from around the state to help repeal this new interpretation.

4.                  Draft Minimum Standards Document

A brief follow-up discussed on the next steps in the Minimum Standards process. Board members did not make any language or ruling suggestions on the last two chapters pertaining to Skydiving and Ultralight. Sub-committee member Bruce Liddell did suggest some changes in language to maintain consistency with previous chapters. Rick Bryant said he would review the language issues and forward to Debbie.

It was also discussed that Board really hasn’t encountered issues with Skydiving and Ultralights at the airport that allowed them to comfortably comment on ruling changes. The Board concurred that the review conducted by Airport Development Group (ADG) would probably present some issues to discuss later.

The next steps in the process were a review by city staff, ADG, and then a 30-day public comment period on the draft before one last review by the Aviation Advisory Board, and then forward to the City Commission for comment and approval.

5.         Airport Gateway Signage – Chamber Senior Council

Last fall Rick Bryant reviewed with the Board a meeting he attended with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce Senior Council, an ad hoc volunteer group of retired Lawrence individuals. The purpose of that meeting was to discuss a Senior Council proposal for a ‘gateway’ entrance sign/presentation to the airport to replace what one council member refers to as ‘the green landfill sign’ posted at the entrance of the airport. The council’s proposed sign was to replicate the fantail, stonework “Lawrence” gateway sign already posted in three locations entering the city.

While acknowledging that the Aviation Advisory Board and the Airport do not have the funds to construct this project, the Board went on record agreeing with the Council that a better entrance presentation is warranted for the airport.  However, the Board was more interested in a business-like presentation of signage that could possibly incorporate existing and new businesses at the airport. Also, one board member pointed a concern on sign visibility from both highway approaches as the corn grows in the summer.

Speaking under direction of the City Manager, Debbie Van Saun indicated that any signage proposals must be created under a Master Signage Plan for the entire airport. It has been the city’s experience that developing these master plans leads to better graphic presentations along with continuity in signage place, visibility and user comprehension.

The Board agreed with the concept of the master plan, and also with the notion that this could be a lengthy process – given the current funding situation but they wanted to continue the dialogue with the Senior Council.

The Board decided to direct Debbie Van Saun to investigate the preliminary costs of generating a signage master plan, some quick costs on city-approved pole signs that are similar to the Manhattan Regional Airport sign and the timeline for development.

The Board also charged Rick Bryant to continue a dialogue with the Senior Council, and urged them to create some designs plus explore sources of private funding raised by their group to expedite the process.

Updates will be presented later.

6.         T-Hangar Rental Rates

The Board was presented with an unusual request from Travis Atwood regarding an existing T-Hangar tenant that was interested in the renting another unit on a month-to-month basis and possibly seeking a reduction in rent due to vacancies in the T-Hangar inventory.

After lengthy discussions, the Board voted 4-0, with Atwood abstaining, to allow the Airport Manager flexibility to negotiate month-to-month leases using the old T-Hangars. Existing tenants seeking additional short-term space would be the regular rate, but other month-to-month leases could be priced higher than the existing lease rents to provide motivation for signing annual leases. These tenants would also be given first right of refusal to sign an annual should a new prospective tenant want that unit.

With seven vacancies at the time of the meeting, the Board directed the Airport Manager to conduct a marketing campaign around Northeast Kansas to attract tenants. Rick Bryant volunteered to assist Debbie with materials and mailing lists of prospects within the week.

7.         Misc. Business -

Board Chair Rick Bryant asked board members, the airport manager, FBO and public to bring ideas to February’s meeting to begin planning October’s 75^th Anniversary of the dedication of the airport, and a possible spring/summer open house. This will be an agenda item for Feb.

8.         Next Board Meeting

The next regular Aviation Advisory Board will be February 26, 6:30 p.m. in the Terminal Building pilots’ lounge.

9.         Meeting Adjournment

The Meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM.

 

 

 

 

 

                                            2003 Annual Report

 

Introduction

This report will summarize the activities and projects of the Lawrence Municipal Airport for 2003.  The Airport was opened at its current location in 1929 on property first owned by the University of Kansas, then deeded to the Endowment Association, then sold to the City of Lawrence in 1977.  The Airport maintains two runways: Runway 15-33 serves as the primary runway and was originally constructed in 1982.  This runway is equipped with medium intensity runway lighting (MIRL), a precision instrument landing system (ILS) approach on runway 33 with a medium intensity approach lighting system (MALSR), and precision instrument markings.  The crosswind runway, 1-19, was originally constructed in 1958 and is equipped with MIRL and basic runway markings.

 

In July 2001, the Airport Layout Plan was updated, as was the Master Plan for the Airport.  Some of the projects completed in 2003 were capital improvement projects identified in these planning documents.

 

Projects

The following capital improvement projects were completed in 2003:

§      Twenty (20) new t-hangars were constructed.  Each building has ten (10) hangars each.   Once the new units were completed, the tenants of the existing ten (10) t-hangars were given the option to rent one of the new units.  Then, a waiting list was consulted and each entity that had indicated an interest in renting a t-hangar at the Lawrence Municipal Airport was contacted.  Leasing of the new units began in August 2003, upon completion of the construction.  As of the date of this report, there are two t-hangars vacant in the new buildings and five (5) in the old building, resulting in a 77 percent occupancy rate.  The older t-hangars rent for $175/month and the new units at $190/month.  Funding for the project will be provided by the City’s bond and interest fund.  See attached financial report for details.

§      A building that formerly contained four (4) hangars on the west side of the airport was emptied of tenants and demolished in 2003.  This metal building was severely deteriorated and an ongoing maintenance problem for the City.

§      A project to extend Runway 15/33 by seven hundred (700) feet was completed.  The project extended the runway three hundred (300) feet to the north and four hundred (400) feet to the south of the previous length.  Lighting improvements, land purchase and annexation, and other miscellaneous components were completed as part of this project.  This project received 90 percent funding from FAA and 10 percent from the City of Lawrence Airport Improvement Fund.  See attached financial report for details.

§      A wetlands mitigation project was completed in association with the aforementioned runway extension project.  Because this project impacted the existing wetlands at the airport, an off site mitigation project had to be completed, per conditions of the Corps of Engineers permitting process.  The project was designed and constructed for property owned by the City just north of the Kansas River Water Treatment Plant. This project received 90 percent funding from FAA and 10 percent from the City of Lawrence Airport Improvement Fund.  See attached financial report for details.

 

Activities

A variety of activities promoting aviation in general and Lawrence aviation in particular took place at the Lawrence Municipal Airport in 2003:

§         As part of the activities associated with the dedication of the Robert Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas, the airport was the site of a display featuring several WWII vintage aircraft.  During the three-day event in July 2003, tours of the display were given at the airport to interested citizens and visitors.

§         A Lawrence Chamber of Commerce after-hours Mixer was held at the airport on July 16, 2003 as an opportunity to familiarize members of the business community with the airport and Aviation Advisory Board members. 

§         The City Commission approved a sub-lease between GutWorks and LifeStar for helicopter storage and crew quarters/offices at the City-owned building at 1930 North 7^th.

§         Visitors to several area sporting events utilized the Lawrence Municipal Airport and Hetrick Air Services, Inc. (the City’s fixed base operator) in 2003, including visitors to Kansas University football and basketball games and NASCAR race weekends.

 

Miscellaneous

Listed below are several miscellaneous items that were accomplished during 2003:

§         Farming leases updated – the agricultural leases between the City of Lawrence and farmers who currently farm agricultural land at the airport were updated and signed.

§         Minimum standards committee – a committee comprised of City staff, members of the Aviation Advisory Board, and members of the general public met several times in 2003 to develop a set of minimum standards for commercial aeronautical activities at the Airport for the Board to consider.  The Board received the recommended standards and at the end of the year, was proceeding with commenting on the draft document.  It is anticipated that a revised version of the standards will be sent to the City Commission in early 2004 for their review and adoption.

§         Website development underway – City staff had developed and Board members are reviewing a website for the airport as part of the City’s web offering of City services to the community.

§         Background work for 2004 project - it is anticipated that FAA funding will be available for a reconstruction project for runway 1/19.  Cost estimates for the project were submitted in late 2003 to the FAA and the City awaits final word on the status of the funding.

§         Security gates/fencing – fencing was installed around the terminal building and cost estimates are being obtained for security gates to limit access to the aprons and runways.

§         Tree topping – staff from the Public Works and Parks/Recreation departments worked together in 2003 to prune sections of trees that were causing visibility issues for the airport, in response to a KDOT inspection in 2003.

§         Lease summary – a summary of the leases at the Airport as of the date of this report is attached.

§         Fact sheet – a summary of some 2003 financial-related facts concerning the Lawrence Municipal Airport is attached.