Airport Board

12/9/2022 SPRINGFIELD - ROBERTSON COUNTY JOINT AIRPORT BOARD Regular Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2022 Springfield - Robertson County Airport, Springfield TN Board Members present: Edison Guthrie, Gina Holt, Paul Nutting, Chris Simpkins, Janice Wallace, Lewis Walling Board Members absent: Jerry Converse Ex-Officio Members present: Ryan Martin, Billy Vogle Airport Staff present: Lynn West, Jennie Omer, Mark Stoesser Chairman Paul Nutting opened the meeting at 8:00 am. Six (6) members of the board were present for a quorum. Paul Nutting asked for a motion to add two items to the agenda. The first item was “Discuss and possibly take action submitting a project funding request to the Tennessee Aeronautics Division for the final design and bid of the fuel farm relocation and apron expansion”. The second item was “Discuss and possibly take action on submitting a funding request to the Tennessee Aeronautics Division for the preliminary design and environmental study for the site preparation for the T-hangar project using BIL money”. Lewis Walling made a motion to add the two items to the agenda. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Paul Nutting used the conference room telephone to call consultant Rick Hudgens on speaker phone to discuss the two items. Rick said that the Klober Engineering site preparation plans that were created last year for the proposed thirty (30) new hangars were given to Bill Burney of TDOT Aeronautics for review. The plans do not meet FAA standards for grading of slopes for hangars, and a drainage pipe coming out of the detention pond was not placed correctly. The design was possibly more suitable for warehouse type construction than hangars. Rick will provide a written report about the deficiencies. Rick Hudgens said the state wants to get fuel tanks out of the ground at all airports in the state. It is likely they will fund the project at a 95% cost share. The GMC preliminary design of the fuel farm relocation and apron expansion is almost finished; it will be completed by the end of November, when the grant expires. Lewis Walling made a motion to approve the funding request to the Tennessee Aeronautics Division for the final design and bid of the fuel farm relocation and apron expansion. Janice Wallace seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Page 1 of 4  12/9/2022 Rick said the second item was submitting another funding request to the state. He said BIL money is slow to be approved by the FAA. We have received two (2) years of BIL money thus far. Chris made a motion to submit a funding request to the Tennessee Aeronautics Division for the preliminary design and environmental study for the site preparation for the T-hangar project using BIL money. Lewis Walling seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. The minutes from the October 12, 2022 regular board meeting and special meetings of October 17 and October 24 were sent to board members prior to the meeting. Janice Wallace made a motion to approve the minutes collectively as presented. Gina Holt seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Edison Guthrie gave the Treasurer’s report for October, 2022. There was a total of $275,650.02 in the checking and savings accounts on October 31, 2022. The board discussed fuel sales and profit at this point in the fiscal year. Chris Simpkins made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s report. Janice Wallace seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Interim Airport Manager Lynn West gave the Airport Manager’s Report. There were 5,828 gallons of 100 LL and 4,708 gallons of Jet-A fuel sold in October. There were 1,681 flight operations last month. There were three new tires required for the Jet-A truck costing $2,700, and a repair to the Wingnuts used oil heater flue costing $800. Electrician Justin Tayloe submitted a price of $4,355 to move the remove the electrical service from the Highland Rim Aviation building supplying power to the Jet-A fuel hut and putting it on a separate meter. The phone and security system supplier Howard required the full payment for the installation work prior to starting. They would not accept a fifty percent (50%) down payment, so Lynn is searching for another vendor. Lynn and the board discussed the list of surplus equipment that could be sold. The City of Springfield's govdeals.com account can be used to auction surplus property authorized for sale. Lewis Walling made a motion for Lynn West to create a list of surplus items with their documentation for disposal. The City of Springfield will be asked to list those items for sale on their www.govdeals.com account. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Paul asked if any board members wanted to make a motion to change Justin Tayloe's status from a contractor to a part-time employee. There was no motion, so he will perform the electrical work as a contractor. The board members discussed possibly taking action on entering into a professional services contract with GMC Engineering to prepare a grading and drainage plan for site preparation work to be funded with the BIL grant. The site preparation work is for the eventual construction of thirty (30) new T-hangars to be funded through a public/private partnership. Paul Nutting stated the Joint Airport Board has a professional services contract with GMC. He was not sure that another contract for the site preparation engineering would have to be approved; however, if GMC prepares a new site plan design funded with grant proceeds, the current contract with Page 2 of 4  12/9/2022 Klober Engineering will have to be terminated due to the fact that the work performed to date does not meet the requirements for hangar construction. Paul reviewed the history of the Klober Engineering contract for the board members. He will discuss the matter with Klober Engineering and report back to the board. Tom Jones, the owner of Highland Rim Aviation, has asked to rent office space in the terminal building. The committee appointed to represent the board in negotiation has not yet met with Mr. Jones. The committee was asked to meet with him before the next board meeting. Paul Nutting reported that two (2) airport board position terms will expire on December 31, 2022. The position he currently holds as a City appointee and the position Gina Holt currently holds as a City/County appointee will require new appointments with terms expiring on December 31, 2027. Paul and Gina agreed to serve new terms, if recommended by the Joint Airport Board. Edison Guthrie made a motion to recommend Paul Nutting and Gina Holt to the appropriate local governing boards for another term on the Springfield Robertson County Joint Airport Board. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion. Paul recused himself from voting on his nomination and Gina recused herself from voting on her nomination, but otherwise the motion passed unanimously. The board members discussed how to possibly expend the balance of remaining funds for the Hangar Renovation grant. The hangar roof renovation cost was roughly half of what was originally estimated. The remaining balance to be expended amounts to $41,494.99. Paul Nutting stated that the Springfield-Robertson County Airport did receive a time extension for the completion of this grant project. The project has been extended for one year with an ending date of October 27, 2023. Interim Airport Manager Lynn West recommended the remaining funds be used to remove the steel carousel portion of the floor in the Highland Rim Aviation hangar and fill it in with concrete. The board will have to work out a schedule and an arrangement with Highland Rim Aviation to allow the company to continue business elsewhere during the period the work will be performed and the concrete cures. Paul said Jon Clark could be the consultant for the project. Lewis Walling made a motion to replace the floor in the Highland Rim Aviation hangar with the remaining Hangar Renovation grant funds. Janice Wallace seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Lynn will make a list of other building repairs that could be made, if there are funds remaining after the floor construction. Gina Holt reported about contract negotiations with Brian Urbach, the nominee for the new airport manager position. There were no issues found on his background check. He has accepted the offer conditionally. Mr. Urbach and Gina have discussed, that in taking the new position, he will lose several benefits provided by his current employer. The board discussed additional benefits for him, as well as for the other full-time employees. Gina made a motion to temporarily pay Mr. Urbach a monthly stipend of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for health insurance reimbursement, continuing for six months, January through June, and a salary of Page 3 of 4  12/9/2022 $75,000 in the offer of airport manager employment to Brian Urbach. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Paul Nutting opened the floor for comments and questions from board members. The automobile insurance has been renewed for the airport vehicles. The premium has increased substantially, but the staff was unable to secure cheaper quotes from other insurance agencies. The staff at Venczel Insurance is continuing to look for less expensive rates. Lewis Walling recently visited Gallatin's Music City Executive airport and was impressed with the terminal and hangars. He encouraged the other board members to visit it. Lewis asked more about the used oil furnace flue replacement for the Wingnuts hangar. The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 am. Respectfully submitted, Edison Guthrie Secretary - Treasurer Page 4 of 4