Airport Commission

AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING Monday, August 20, 2018 at 4:30 pm Murfreesboro Municipal Airport Terminal /Administration Bldg. 1930 Memorial Blvd. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 MEETING MINUTES IN ATTENDANCE: COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Waldron, Chair George Huddleston Jr., Vice Chair Clay Cook Bill Shacklett, Council Rep. Nick Lenczycki, MTSU Aerospace Department- Ex Officio GUESTS: Jim Gardner, Murfreesboro Aviation Frank Stephenson, Tenant Mark Baker, Tenant Mike DeWeese, Tenant STAFF: Gary Whitaker, Assistant City Manager David Ives, Assistant City Attorney Chad Gehrke, Airport Manager Jennifer Hodgdon, Airport Administrative Assistant Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance lead by Chair Steve Waldron. 1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER: Steve Waldron called meeting to order. 2. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF April and August 2018 AIRPORT COMMISISON MEEING MINUTES: Clay Cook moved to approve the April 2018 Airport Commission meeting minutes. George Seconded the motion and all voted in favor. No action was taken on the August 2018 Airport Commission meeting minutes. 3. Update of new Terminal Construction Project: Chad Gehrke reviewed the status of the Request For Qualifications stating that ten firms or teams submitted Statements Of Qualifications. A Selection Committee reviewed and scored those with two being recommended to the Public Building Authority. The two firms were Bell Construction and Smith Build Design. Mr. Gehrke stated that the two teams Each has extensive design build experience. Mr. Gehrke stated that the two firms were now entering into Phase 2 of the Selection Process where they are in a concept design contest. He stated that the conceptual plans and documentation were due Friday. He stated the Gary, Eric Burk of Sevalus, and he would be reviewing the proposals and submitting the information to the Public Building Authority. He stated that each firm would present their plans to the Public Building Authority on November 7th. After the presentations the Public Building Authority would be scoring the presentations and information provided by each firm and making their selection. Gary Whitaker stated that the meeting would be open to the public and would be held in the City Hall Admin Conference Room. Mr. Whitaker continued to explain the scoring selection process. He stated that once the firm is selected, that firm will work with him and Chad and other staff on floor plans and elevations toward a final plan set. Gary stated that these plans include the firm providing two temporary trailers for the Airport Staff and Mike Jones so that work can begin on the razing of the existing Terminal which could begin sometime in March. Gary stated that the firm that comes in second will be paid $5,000 for their work and efforts. The conceptual plans would be the City’s. George Huddleston asked how much input the Airport Commission will have on the plans submitted by the chosen firm. Gary stated that the previous plans were reviewed with the Owner’s Rep, Sevalus, with Chad and created the programing for this new building. Gary stated that the programming (list of rooms, offices, spaces, and functions needed in the new Terminal) was given to all ten teams so that they understood what was needed in this new building along with the budget of $4.5 million. He stated that Staff met with the two final teams to review in more depth the prioritization of the programming list. Gary stated that the $4.5 does not include testing and FFE (furnishings). Gary stated that the programming added up to 15,500 square feet of space. He stated that it was then up to those firms/teams to show how much of that programming they could include in their proposed building and why some things were left out. Gary stated that if the Airport Commission was good with the previous building then you should be good with the new concept. He stated that that doesn’t mean that there are not things that we may want to go in a “tweak” but we need to stay within the $4.5 million budget. George Huddleston asked if the firms were told only to design a single story building. Gary stated that they were not told one or two stories. That decision is up to the firms and they have to justify their design and budget. Gary stated that they were only told what was essential for offices and space. Gary stated that he felt very good about either firm and that the City will receive an excellent building from either firm. George Huddleston asked about ensuring that quality materials are being proposed and used. Gary Whitaker responded stated that these firms will have to comply with City building codes for commercial building construction. He stated that the RFQ stated that they would have to meet City Building Code requirements. He stated the various materials that they could use. Gary stated that the guidelines are very regimented and specific. Steve Waldron asked about the communication process about specific designs and how the offices and space flow together etc. Gary stated that once the PBA makes a decision, that concept plan is brought before the Airport Commission for comments and suggestions. He stated that the suggestions must be reasonable because the building has to stay within budget. There may be some tradeoffs made through this process. He stated that after the Airport Commission has reviewed the plans then the two representatives bring to him the list of comments and suggestions. Gary shared with the Airport Commission that there was a great deal of information shared with the teams about what the Airport needs, what we like, what we like when we visited other terminals and airports. He stated that we also shared what we did not like at other airports. Chad Gehrke stated that they reviewed with the two teams how the flow of pilots and passengers works best in a good terminal. He stated that some of the teams mentioned that they had team members that are pilots and these are the things that they would incorporate in their plans. Mr. Gehrke stated Clay Cook had given the two teams a great pilot perspective and what he looks for as a pilot when he comes into an airport. Clay Cook also mentioned the importance that technology plays in assisting pilots in Terminals. Gary Whitaker stated that there is an established time table that can be adjusted but there is no additional money. Mr. Whitaker assured the Airport Commission that these firms had good aviation experience. Mr. Gehrke stated that both firms asked good questions that were questions that proved these firms had some General Aviation experience and understood the industry. Mr. Gehrke and Mr. Whitaker stated that that is why Staff was reviewing the plans before they go to the PBA. David Ives stated that if both firms miss the mark the City can reject the proposals. Clay Cook expected the firms to be looking at some of the airport terminals that they listed for them that the City stated that we have visited and liked. 4. Introduction of Darren Gore, Assistant City Manager and Gary Whitaker, Assistant City Manager: Gary Whitaker stated that before in construction projects, each City Department would outline their five year plan of projects and funding would be set aside in the Capital Improvement Program budget based on estimates. No one City Staff was assigned to oversee construction. He stated that Department Heads do not know anything about construction, do a good job running their Department but may not know construction. He stated that the project is bid out and the City goes with the low bid. Unfortunately, many projects have been coming in way over budget. Gary said that he was tasked with overseeing construction and the process to see if these problems that the City has been dealing with from bids coming in way over budget to overruns and Change Orders during the construction process can be remedied. Gary Whitaker stated that the City reorganized the management of the City. He stated that previously the City Manager and two Assistant Managers were overseeing 25 plus Departments. Now there are executive level managers like Darren Gore are overseeing the Enterprise Utilities. He reviewed the various Assistant City Managers and Executive Directors and what area and Departments they are overseeing. Mr. Whitaker stated that with a growing City it was becoming overwhelming for one City Manager to be able to respond to the needs of 25 plus Departments. He stated that the City did not add any new people but reorganized and moved people around to take on additional roles and responsibilities. Steve Waldron stated that he was glad to see Gary taking this role and overseeing the construction of the Terminal. Gary Whitaker stated that not only was he overseeing the construction of the Terminal but also Phase 2 to this project being the removal of the Quonset Hut and the building of a new large Corporate Box Hangar. He stated that he was not sure all of the various aspects of that project and the budget but that is what he is working on with the City Finance Director and others. 5. Update OF TENNESSEE AERONAUTICS DIVISION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DESIGNATING FAA NPE FUNDS FOR DESIGN OF SOUTH APRON DEVELOPMENT AND TAXIWAY F AREA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: Chad Gehrke stated that he had met with Chuck Hoskins and Darren Duckworth to follow up after the State ACIP meetings. Mr. Gehrke stated according to the State the pavement on the airfield is in good shape. Mr. Gehrke stated that at the November meeting Mr. Darren Duckworth will come before the Airport Commission to review the Airport’s five-year ACIP plan. He stated that the timing for applying for Grants through the Tennessee Aeronautics has become very critical. He stated that the deadline to turn in our ACIP list of projects for 2019 through 2024 is December 1st. George Huddleston stated that the emphasis with the State is now programming Non-Primary Entitlement (NPE) funds for planning and design first then construction. He stated the question is if the State will allow the money to be spent on hangar construction and not all on the design work. Mr. Gehrke stated that he had asked Chuck Hoskins, the Tennessee Aeronautics Project Manager assigned to Murfreesboro. He reported that Chuck had said yes, if your airport’s approaches are clear and pavement is clear. Mr. Gehrke stated that there was some approach work to do but then the funds could be used for the hangar construction cost. Mr. Huddleston discussed some of the issues with the funding of hangar construction and financing issues. Mr. Huddleston asked if the Airport Commission was not lowering the tenants cost because of the use of NPE funds. Mr. Waldron agreed that the Airport should not lower the tenants cost for hangar construction. Mr. Huddleston stated that he would complete his analysis in the coming days. 6. AIRPORT MANAGER’S UPDATE OF TDK HANGAR PROJECT AND INSTALLATION OF UTILITIES INTO THE TAXIWAY F DEVELOPMENT AREA: Chad Gehrke stated that even though this project is not a City project officially it is certainly a partnership in that both parties have agreed to provide certain items and perform certain work. Mr. Gehrke reviewed the progress of the construction. Mr. Gehrke reported the improvements that TDK was making to the drainage system. He reported that TDK was performing the work on the removal of pavement on the existing portion of Taxiway F and that those costs will be worked out in the end. Mr. Gehrke stated that the current planning work is going into the installation of the ATMOS gas line. The process is complicated in that the line will go through existing McKnight Park property and support a future McKnight Park Maintenance facility. He stated that there is also a connector road that will connect McKnight Park at the traffic light on the north end of Walmart. Mr. Gehrke said that complicating this process is that the plans for some of these improvements do not even exist right now so we are doing our best to place this line in a spot that will not interfere with any future construction. Gary Whitaker stated that he had just come from a meeting to discuss these issues. He stated that Matt Taylor of SEC is working on locating that line. Mr. Whitaker stated that the installation of the three phase power and communication lines will begin the following week across the eastern most fields. Mr. Gehrke stated that with that work the Airport has effectively taken possession of those two and half fields that are located on the east side of the McKnight multi-use field complex. The lighted fields are still available for Parks and Rec use. Steve Waldron asked if the small drainage inlets were replaced with larger ones Mr. Gehrke confirmed with Mr. Mark Baker, who is doing that work, that the correct drainage infrastructure is in place. 7. AIRPORT MANAGER’S update of DeJarnette Lane underground utility installation: Mr. Gehrke stated that the only item that is hold up this project is the bids received for blasting rock. Mr. Gehrke stated that the trench that Murfreesboro Electric is requiring a four foot wide trench for all of the various utilities. Mr. Gehrke reminded the Airport Commission that in the end the poles will remain in place except that they will be lowered just to a height that will support the street light. He stated that the pole that is in centerline will be removed. He stated that the poles will remain but all of the lines will be underground. 8. Review and approval of application for Airport Economic Development Grant application Chad Gehrke presented a draft form of the Airport Economic Development Grant application. Mr. Gehrke stated that the latest additions to the application was the letters of recommendation. He stated that he had included a letter of commitment from Mike Jones, letter of support from Larry Williams from an FAA perspective and his international work that he does working with clients that also know and recognize Mike Jones and the work he does worldwide. Mr. Gehrke stated that he had received a letter from the Rutherford County Chamber of Council, Mayor McFarland, and Steve Waldron Airport Commission Chair. Mr. Gehrke reviewed the history of the Airport Economic Development Grant and the emphasis that this Grant has on job creation. Mr. Gehrke stated that this was the second year that this Grant has been offered. Mr. Gehrke stated that the City had set aside $2 million in the 2019 CIP for this project. Steve Waldron asked if the Grant application that Mr. Gehrke had prepared included the number of T-hangars that were going to be made available with the construction of the large hangar. Mr. Gehrke stated that he had not mentioned that yet but that he was working on where that information could go in the application. Mr. Gehrke said the application focused so much on job growth that the application did not ask for what benefits this improvement might be to the Airport. Mr. Gehrke stated that he was working on finding that spot in his application to outline all of the positive aspects this funding and hangar will have on the entire airport. The Airport Commission discussed other aspects of the application and the justification for the need for the funding. Mr. Gehrke stated that he has a great deal of work left to really make the specific facts pop out and highlighted to clearly show how much job growth will occur and how important this project is to the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport and community. Mr. Gehrke stated that other funds such as the NPE are still available should we receive this Grant. 9. Update of MTSU Aerospace Airport Campus planning effort Mr. Gehrke stated that the Aerospace Department has received approval to enter into an official planning process. Mr. Gehrke stated that it was through their accreditation process that the Aerospace Department has learned of certain sized facilities, number of classrooms, labs, etc. that they need. He stated that the Department would be replacing the 727 but has to be replaced with a similar type aircraft such as a regional jet. He also stated that the Department would like to put that jet in a hangar as a maintenance lab. He stated that there are many grand ideas and plans but he questions that once the costs of some of these facilities are calculated if priorities may change. He stated that one building that was being discussed for removal was Miller Lanier which will be a City facility so there are some legalities that need to be included in this plan as well. Steve Waldron asked what percentage of fuel sales is MTSU. Mr. Gehrke stated that MTSU is 60% of the fuel sales. 10. Airport Manager’s update of various projects No additional information was reported. 11. CONSIDER ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AIRPORT COMMISSION: The Airport Commission discussed Mike Jones need for the Quonset Hut. It was confirmed that the Quonset Hut was being used for single engine and small engine maintenance and parts storage. The new Hangar could be up and operational while the Quonset Hut is being razed. 12. CONSIDER NEXT DATE FOR AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING (STANDARDIZE MONTHLY MEETING DATE November 19, 2018) The Airport Commission agreed to meet November 19, 2018. 13. ADJOURNEMENT All agreed to adjourn.