Airport Commission

Fitchburg Municipal Airport Commission Meeting Minutes December 27, 2017 PLACE: Terminal Building METTING TIME: 6:00PM ATTENDEES: Airport Manager Scott Ellis, City Solicitor Vincent Pusateri, Assistant Solicitor Christine Tree and Mayor’s Chief of staff A.J. Torigney Airport Commissioners: Vice Chair Peter Kettle, Comm. Clayton Raymond, Comm. John Early & Comm. Richard Liberatore Note: Chair Naylor absent at this month’s meeting 1. Meeting Protocol Meeting called to order  Vice Chair Kettle introduced the commission members in attendance.  Vice Chair Kettle motioned request to record audio (granted) and approved Commissioner Raymond and Airport Manager Scott Ellis request to record audio.  Vice Chair Kettle Opportunities for the public to speak during the Commission meeting 2. Previous Month’s Minutes Minutes from previous meeting are not available at this time due to the holiday schedule. Minutes will be available next month 3. Correspondence to the Commission 1. Scott Ellis Open meeting law training will discuss latter 4. Project Review-Gale There are four (4) projects that Gale Associates, Inc. (Gale) is administering on behalf of the Fitchburg Airport Commission. They are: 1. Phase III Avigation Easement Acquisitions and Permitting (AIP No. 3‐25‐0018‐24‐2015) Project Description: This project is a Phase III avigation easement acquisition project to acquire avigation easements over approximately 22 parcels in the Runway 32 approach surface, adjacent to the Airport. Additionally, this project includes permitting efforts necessary to remove obstructions from the Runway 14‐32 approach surfaces. Project Cost: FAA Share: $ 2,183,850.00 (90.0%) State Share: $ 121,325.00 ( 5.0%) Local Share: $ 121,325.00 ( 5.0%) Total Cost: $ 2,426,500.00 (100%) Project Status:  The Owner and his attorney have requested a change in one section of the Avigation Easement Deed (see attached). Our legal subconsultant and the FAA have agreed with the language change, and if it’s acceptable to the Commission we are set to proceed. The property owner has executed the Purchase and Sale Agreement, and Avigation Easement Deed (with the proposed change). A check for the proceeds will be coordinated with the Airport and the City. Once the subordination agreement, W‐9, and trustees certificate are received, we will proceed with the closing (assuming the easement change is acceptable to the Commission). Motion to accept the change of language of the avigation deed Motion Early 2nd Comm. Liberatore 17-12-01 Vote 4-0 Actions Required by the Airport this month: The Airport Manager needs to execute the Purchase and Sale Agreement. Comments Nick Epilitto Gale Associates 2. Runway 14 End Obstruction Removal and Aeronautical Survey (Off Airport Property) AIP No. 3‐25‐0018‐25‐2015 Project Description: This project is an obstruction removal project to clear obstructions identified on nine (9) off‐airport properties in the Runway 14 approach surface, and to complete an Aeronautical Survey. Project Cost: FAA Share: $ 675,000.00 (90.0%) State Share: $ 37,500.00 ( 5.0%) Local Share: $ 37,500.00 ( 5.0%) Total Cost: $ 750,000.00 (100%) Project Status: Pending final acceptance by the Airport, all tree removal work has been completed. The aeronautical study is underway. After some glitches with the FAA’s Airport GIS system, we have gained access and the project has been set up. Gale’s subconsultant (Col‐East) has uploaded the statement of work and technical plan, for review and approval by FAA and National Geodetic Survey. We are currently awaiting their response. Compost log has been removed. Cook Forest Products has met all of its obligations and Gale has prepared paperwork for Cook’s final payment. The Aeronautical Study is ongoing. The final design of Runway 14‐32 needs to be uploaded to the AGIS system as the next step. This step is currently awaiting completion of final Runway design.  Additional obstructions within the 15‐degree offset approach are eligible for removal under this project. Gale has reached out to Mike O’Hara at the Conservation Commission to discuss the additional work and the steps necessary to complete it. Gale will push for inclusion of this work under the existing Order of Conditions. The Conservation Commission meeting was held last night. Addition of this work will require a Change Order for Cook and a Supplemental,Agreement for Gale. Actions Required by the Airport this Month: Finalization of the Runway 14‐32 geometry is holding up the completion of the aeronautical study. This cannot be completed until the issues at the Runway 14 end are resolved and a final design is complete. See below for additional information. 3. Runway 32 End Obstruction Removal (Off Airport Property) AIP No. 3‐25‐0018‐26‐ 2017 Project Description: This project is an obstruction removal project to clear obstructions identified on up to twenty‐seven (27) off‐airport properties in the Runway 32 approach surface in the City of Leominster. One (1) property is partially in the City of Fitchburg. Estimated Project Cost: FAA Share: $ 1,156,500.00 (90.0%) State Share: $ 64,250.00 ( 5.0%) Local Share: $ 64,250.00 ( 5.0%) Total Cost: $ 1,285,000.00 (100%) Project Status: FAA has made their grant offer, and City Council is expected to accept the grant at their September 5, 2017 meeting. Gale has prepared the Contracts between Northern Tree Service, Inc. and the City. These contracts have been fully executed by all parties, and the bonds and insurance are in place. Gale has also prepared notification letters to the property owners. These letters include an invitation to meet with Gale to gain a better understanding of the project and what they can expect. A contact list will be given to each land owner so they know who to call if they have questions. Tree work began on September 11, 2017. The work is on‐schedule as of today. Contracts for the building modifications at 180 Crawford Street have been fully executed. Due to impending weather, this work will be completed in the Spring. Contracts for the obstruction lighting have been fully executed. This portion of the project must wait until after the building modifications are complete. Actions Required by the Airport this Month:  None. 4. Shift, Rotate, Reconstruct, Mark, Light, and Sign Runway 14‐32 and Parallel Taxiway ‘D’; Construct Stub Taxiways ‘E’ and ‘F’; Install REILs and PAPIs on Runways 14 and 32; and Install New Airfield Electrical Vault AIP No. 3‐25‐0018‐27‐2018 (Pending) Project Description: This project is to reconstruct Runway 14‐32 with a 1.55‐degree clockwise rotation, reconstruct parallel Taxiway ‘D’, construct two (2) new stub taxiways, install Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) and Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs) on Runway 14 and Runway 32, install new airfield lighting and signage, and install a new electrical vault. Runway 2‐20 will be decommissioned as part of this project. Estimated Project Cost: FAA Share: $10,800,000.00 (90.0%) State Share: $ 600,000.00 (5.0%) Local Share: $ 600,000.00 (5.0%) Total Cost: $12,000,000.00 (100%) Project Status: A scoping meeting was conducted on April 10, 2017 at the Airport. Peter Kettle, Rich Liberatore, and Richard Raymond were in attendance on behalf of the Airport Commission. Scott Ellis and Debbie Silvar also attended. Data collection (survey and soil exploration) began on August 24, 2017. The soil exploration work is complete, and we are awaiting the design recommendations from the geotechnical engineer. Based on material excavated during test pits at the Runway 14 end, there exists a solid waste issue that needs to be addressed. Gale will be reaching out to the Airport next week to schedule a meeting to discuss this. The survey work is ongoing; all data within the proposed Runway environment has been collected, and once processed, Gale will be able to develop the proposed Runway 14‐32 profile. This will allow the Aeronautical Study (part of AIP‐25) to proceed. Taxiway ‘D’ will be renamed ‘A’ as part of the project, following discussions with FAA and Scott Ellis. Preliminary geometry and lighting layout has been completed. The preliminary drawing set was sent out for review on November 10, 2017. Buried solid waste at the Runway 14 end is complicating efforts to finalize the runway and taxiway geometry. The current ground conditions prohibit the construction of the Runway 14 end pavement in traditional fashion. Metal, plastic, rubber, glass, ash, etc. were all observed in most of the recent test pits. There are options to remove or cap this material in place, but development of a plan to construct pavement in this area needs to be established before Runway design work can proceed. Gale spoke with Weston & Sampson, Inc., who are expert in solid waste issues. W&S advised that the existing landfill cap adjacent to the Airport  may be able to be extended, which would eliminate the need to remove the solid waste material. Structural piles (e.g. timber piles) would need to be installed in order to build atop the material in place. The solid waste exploration work at the Runway 14 end has yet to be funded by the City, after discussion at the December 6, 2017 meeting. This must be quickly resolved to allow the project to proceed. Gale is still awaiting direction from the Commission on how to proceed. As of now, Gale has stopped all design work until a plan for the solid waste issue is developed and approved by the Commission and other applicable parties. This will impact overall project schedule. Gale requests that the Commission authorize Gale to schedule a meeting with FAA and Mass DOT to discuss the issue. This should happen as quickly as possible. Actions Required by the Airport this Month: Discuss the solid waste issue that exists at the Runway 14 end. Secure funding for additional exploration at the Runway 14 end, by Weston & Sampson, and issue an authorization for that work to proceed. Advise on the level of involvement expected from Gale on this issue, and how we should proceed.  Solicitor Pusateri stated that the city does not have funds available for the proposed soil exploration. Solicitor Pusateri is recommending a user’s fee be accessed to each user of the airport to fund soil exploration.  Matt Caron of Gale Associates is recommending a conversation to begin with The FAA and DOT concerning the unsuitable ground at the runway 14 end. Motion made by Vice Chair Kettle to instruct Gale Associates to approach the FAA and DOT to begin an informal conversation on the current status of the unsuitable ground at the end of runway 14. This is to include the request of funding from the FAA for soil exploration as described by Weston and Sampson at a previous December 6th 2017 meeting. 2Nd Vote 4-0 12-03-17 5. Other Items: None. 5. New Business A. Paul Allen, Concert-2018 Bertoni Valembrun from Westminster, Bertoni is representing Paul Allen and is looking for a mini concert venue to hold an event possibly in July of 2018. Comm. Early reminded Mr. Valembrun that the Airport is quite strict on start times and end times for events and  details need to be approved beginning with the Airport Manager as his point of contact. The commission instructed Bertoni to approach the Airport Manager Scott Ellis on the details of the proposed event. B. Proposed Airport events regulations. Chair Naylor absent subject is delayed C. Airport Budget 2019. The Munis report was handed to each Commissioner for their review. Comments will be addressed at next month’s meeting. Mr. Ellis stated the city will be requesting the start of payments for money borrowed Scott will be meeting with Calvin brooks at the city to discuss a payment schedule. D. Open Meeting Law on line Scott Ellis has provided an updated copy of the Open Meeting Law Guide and has asked the commissioners attend an on line coarse for instruction. E. Airport Budget FY 2019Scott Ellis will be speaking to Calvin Brooks to create a time frame for the airport to pay back the city the Airport lent to the Airport 6. Old Business A. Hanger 7 repair status Scott Ellis stated the new space is nearly complete. The tenants would like to see updated fixtures in the men’s and woman’s restrooms. We are expecting the money held in escrow to be released shortly for past rent due. Solicitor Pusateri is recommending the Airport reach out to the city assessor’s office to determine the fair market value of Hanger 7 before a lease is created. Action Scott Ellis will contact the assessor’s office. B. FCA Lease status The abatement meeting was cancelled and subject will be discussed next month. C. Airport lighting Mr. Ellis is proud to announce the new light is installed and it is a great improvement. 7. Financial Review Munis report is in review for period ending November 2017 8. Sub-Committee Report Fact lease status: The city solicitor does reach out to FACT’s attorney Ken May just prior to the last three commission meetings. Kurt Hoffman of FACT was present and is hopeful the lease is getting close to an agreement. Vice Chair Kettle has thanked the commissioners for all the hard work over the last year. Vice Chair Kettle is requesting input from all the commissioners and airport staff on ways to improve the financial income for the airport. Comm. Kettle is asking to consider a rent increase for all tenants at the airport to increase revenue. Any comments Action item Scott Ellis will  approach the chamber of commerce for recommendations on airport expansion suggestions. 9. Subcommittee Reports None to report 10. Manager report Scott Ellis is finding the very cold weather to be a challenge to the airport operations. The runway is in very good shape but reminds everyone the taxi ways and ramps are not scrapped down to pavement and care should be exercised. Scott will be parking the plow vehicles indoors when the weather is not favorable.  Motion to adjourn Comm. Early seconded Vice chair Kettle (17-12- 04)  Executive session Not required NONE  Conclusion 7:13pm  Next Regular Airport Meting January 31 2018  Recording secretary Clayton Raymond