Airport Authority

Athens Ben Epps Airport Authority Meeting April 25, 2023, 3:00PM Minutes Live Stream on ACCGOV YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/live/87dV5ClG1Wc?feature=share In attendance: Mike Mathews, Grant Tribble, Diane Napier, Keith Sanders, Jeff Benjamin, Craig Westwood, Davin Welter, Niki Jones, Andrew Bolin (RS&H) Apologies: David Asman Note-taker: Davin Welter 1) Chair Update and announcements: Mr. Tribble welcomed the participants and previewed the agenda. 2) March Meeting Minutes: The March minutes were approved as submitted, per unanimous vote. Mr. Sanders moved and Mr. Benjamin seconded to approve the minutes. 3) Airport Manager Reports a) Financial & Operations Report: Mr. Mathews reported that our financials continue to look good. Corporate traffic has been strong and other revenues and expenses have been in line for the month. Coca-Cola has taken over our vending services and they are providing free water for now for our customers with a cooler in the pilot’s lounge and by the door going out to the flight line. b) Capital Improvement Project Updates: Mr. Mathews reported that the 2-20 Runway project began on April 10. He said that E.R. Snell is working strong on the lighting and underdrain components of the project. Wet dirt has been an issue and needs to dry out before they can put it in the safety area. Unfortunately, an old sewer line was hit and that has been an issue but Mr. Mathews is working with ACC Public Utilities to resolve the issue. Lastly, RS&H is redesigning and rebidding the Taxiway Alpha project. A work authorization is into the Mayor and Commission for that work and they will vote on it on May 2. Mr. Mathews is hoping that it will take 3 months for the redesign and for the bidding. Mr. Welter is working on quotes for the self-serve unit. Mr. Mathews reported that Titan will share the cost on the self-serve project. GDOT came to us with some funding for a fencing project. AHN will have to pay 25% of the project. GDOT has $495,000 and the total project will be $660,000. He reported that he has an agenda item for this project and the Mayor and Commission will vote on it on the May 2 meeting. Mr. Mathews wants to give priority to the area where we took out the farm fencing for the ROFA project. This will be phase 1 of the fencing projects. Mr. Tribble asked about the new control tower. Mr. Mathews said that the planning meeting for the new tower went well. The virtual view started at 60 ft and then 80 ft and then 120 ft. It is important to be able to see over all the buildings and see all portions of both runways. The most likely spot for the location is next to the parking lot. Mr. Mathews said that we need to offer something that will work because we need the tower. He said that in 6 months we should know where it will be located. Mr. Mathews reported that AHN will need to do environmental assessment and will need to tear down Sonny’s hanger. Construction for the tower will start in 2024. Mr. Sanders asked if he had any concerns about the tower project. Mr. Mathews responded that he is concerned about taking away future parking but that it will be easy to build a parking garage. Mr. Westwood said he was surprised that the south side of the airport location was disregarded. Mr. Mathews said that the VOR was a concern as was the access to the tower in that location. c) Marketing & Outreach: Mr. Mathews could not think of anything major at this time during March. 4) Old Business a) Strategic Plan Update: Mr. Welter reported about the changes to the strategic plan previously approved by the Authority. The changes are primarily minor and provides more clear language for the general public. Mr. Tribble explained the process that essentially took what the authority approved and sent it to the ACC Manager’s Office. They added some language and added a sixth goal. Dr. Napier asked about the 3 “To Be Determined” classifications in Goal 4. Mr. Welter said that he would update those three. Mr. Westwood moved and Dr. Napier seconded to approve the strategic plan as presented with the update of the three TBDs in Goal 4. The plan was unanimously approved. 5) New Business a) None 6) Standing Committees: Issues & Updates a) Business/Finance: Mr. Sanders had no report. b) Operating: Mr. Asman was not present and had no report. c) Air Service Development/Marketing: Mr. Mathews reported that Mead and Hunt has gotten the latest data that they will use to update the market study and because of that it will be another couple of months before that study is complete. Once this is complete, Mr. Mathews will present the market study to the Authority and to the Air Services Development Committee. Mr. Westwood asked how far back the data will go. Mr. Mathews responded that he did not think that the data will include the COVID years. 7) Other Business: a) Mr. Jones said that he had no updates from ACC but expressed appreciation to the Authority for their work on the Strategic Plan. b) Dr. Napier reported that the current Lexington Highway projects will roll into the 2023 projects because of the overlap between the two. She said that this opens up a lot of possibilities including a revival of the plan to build a trail around the airport to provide connectivity between Satterfield Park and the Firefly Trail. c) The next meeting will be held on May 23, 2023, 3-5 p.m., in the conference room in the Flight Center Building. 8) Adjourn: 3:41 PM Mr. Benjamin moved and Mr. Westwood seconded that the Authority meeting be adjourned and the vote to adjourn was unanimous. Minutes Approved, DATE: Grant Tribble, Authority Chair Davin Welter________________________