Airport Board

1/8/2024 SPRINGFIELD - ROBERTSON COUNTY JOINT AIRPORT BOARD Regular Meeting Minutes – December 13, 2023 Springfield - Robertson County Airport; Springfield, Tennessee Board Members present: Jerry Converse, Edison Guthrie, Gina Holt, Paul Nutting, Chris Simpkins, Lewis Walling Board Members absent: None Ex-Officio Members present: None Airport Staff present: Brian Urbach, Lynn West, Mark Stoesser Chairman Paul Nutting called the meeting to order at 8:00 am. Six members of the board were present for a quorum. There is one vacancy on the board. Paul Nutting asked if a member of the public wanted to comment on any part of the meeting agenda. Airport Manager Brian Urbach reported that no one had registered in advance to make public comment. No public comment was made. The minutes of the November 8, 2023 regular board meeting were sent to board members prior to the meeting. Gina Holt made a motion to approve the November 8, 2023 minutes as presented. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Edison Guthrie gave the Treasurer’s Report for November, 2023. There was a total of $263,046.86 in the two bank accounts at the end of November. The board discussed the city and county payments for retirement and health insurance. The county has made two quarterly payments without being billed; the city has not made a payment. In the future, the city and the county will be billed for each quarterly payment as needed. For the local matching payments for grant projects, the City of Springfield and the Robertson County Economic Development Board will be billed when payment is necessary. The Communications account costs have dropped recently, due to a change of internet providers, the AWOS changing to a cell phone line, and fewer telephone lines. Chris Simpkins made a motion to accept the Treasurer's Report. Gina Holt seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Brian Urbach gave the Airport Manager's Report for November. The airport had 2,132 flight operations in September compared to 1,423 in November, 2022. There were 5,930 gallons of 100LL fuel sold and 2,096 gallons of Jet-A fuel sold. There was one T-hangar opening that was filled in November; there are 34 people on the waiting list. There is one Runway End Identifier Light (REIL) panel that was been out of service since the June 29 lightning strike. A needed replacement light has just been received and is awaiting installation. All the cameras affected are now back in service. A scissor lift was rented for several repair projects. A new walk-through gate was installed in the chain-link fence beside the Highland Rim Aviation hangar. There is a public Christmas event at the airport this weekend. Tom Jones spoke about a Chamber of Page 1 of 2  1/8/2024 Commerce reception held in their building recently. The waste oil heater in the Wingnuts Aviation building D needs major repair or replacement. The board discussed the need for tracking the oil brought for disposal; Wingnuts will begin recording the amount and people bringing the oil. The board is responsible for the cost of the heater. The board arrived at a consensus that purchasing a new heater was preferable to repairing the old one, and that a waste oil heater was the proper choice of heaters. A new heater will cost approximately $12,000. Jerry Converse made a motion to have the board to purchase a new waste oil heater for building D. The board will take the money for the heater from its reserve funds, since this is an unbudgeted expense. The staff will create a log for Wingnuts to use in tracking the waste oil brought to it. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. There were four candidates for the open city-county position on the board. Jim Ball, Pat Looney, Mike Poole, and Michael Spears each expressed written interest in the position. All were present at the meeting, and each gave a brief introduction about himself and explained his interest in aviation and the airport. There was a secret ballot by the six board members, and Pat Looney received the highest number of votes. His name will be submitted to both the Springfield Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Robertson County Commission as the Joint Airport Board’s recommendation for the position. The current airport board officers for calendar year 2023 are Paul Nutting, chairman; Lewis Walling, vice-chairman, and Edison Guthrie, secretary-treasurer. The by-laws require the officers be elected each December for the following calendar year. Jerry Converse made a motion to re-elect the current officers for calendar year 2024. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Brian said the North Carolina State football coach will be flying into the airport later this morning in a Cessna Citation jet to sign East Robertson player Elijah Groves. Rick Hudgens, from engineering firm GMC, said TPM is preparing the fuel system contract documentation for the airport. Rick estimated the new system would be completed by late summer. TPM has provided a price for removal of the existing tanks and fuel system; he estimated it at $90,000. This price does not include remediating any contamination. Rick said surveying of the T-hangar area would begin soon. Bill Burney of TDOT Aeronautics was present and will be meeting today with Rick and Brian Urbach to discuss the Airport Capital Improvement Plan projects for fiscal year 2025. There being no more business to discuss, Gina Holt made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 am. Lewis Walling seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Edison Guthrie Secretary - Treasurer Page 2 of 2