Airport Board

3/9/2024 SPRINGFIELD - ROBERTSON COUNTY JOINT AIRPORT BOARD Regular Meeting Minutes – February 14, 2024 Springfield - Robertson County Airport; Springfield, Tennessee Board Members present: Jerry Converse, Edison Guthrie, Gina Holt, Pat Looney, Paul Nutting, Chris Simpkins, Lewis Walling Board Members absent: None Ex-Officio Members present: Ryan Martin, Billy Vogle Airport Staff present: Brian Urbach, Lynn West, Mark Stoesser Chairman Paul Nutting called the meeting to order at 8:03 am. Seven members of the board were present for a quorum. 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 January 10, 2024 regular board meeting were sent to board members prior to the meeting. Gina Holt made a motion to approve the January 10, 2024 minutes as presented. Chris Simpkins seconded the motion; and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Edison Guthrie gave the Treasurer’s Report for January, 2024. There was a total of $260,311.76 in the two bank accounts at the end of January. January had the least amount of fuel sales, income, and expenses for a month thus far in this fiscal year. Paul compared several accounts in final profit and loss statement for fiscal year 2022-23 and the budget for the same year. Lewis Walling 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 January. The airport had 993 flight operations in January compared to 1,446 in December 2022. There were lower fuel sales this month because the runway was closed from January 14 to 22, due to snow and ice. There are 34 people on the hangar waiting list and 3 people on the tie-down waiting list. A Runway End Identifier Light on Runway 4 that was repaired after the June 2023 lightning strike is still not working correctly and a new one was ordered. The $18,000 cost will be paid by insurance. There is a sixteen (16) week lead time for the lights to come. The five-year Avfuel aviation fuel supply contract will expire on June 1, 2024. Avfuel and Titan Corporation will both be asked to submit a proposal for a new contract. Brian said Titan supplies fuel to about 96% of the airports in middle Tennessee. Brian and Lynn West will attend the Tennessee Aviation Conference in March, which will be held in Franklin, Tennessee. Brian reviewed some planned community events upcoming at the airport, including Food Truck Fridays in the spring and a car show in May. Brian said the lot where AMF formerly stored salvaged planes is a potential development site; it will have to be Page 1 of 2  3/9/2024 coordinated with TDOT for their approval. He also mentioned interest in other sites for development on the airport, but he would not comment further as discussions with businesses are only in a preliminary stage. A bound copy of the Springfield-Robertson County Airport Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 was distributed to the board members. There were no findings or problems noted in the document. Rick Hudgens, the airport’s consulting engineer with GMC, talked about upcoming site preparation studies and work for the hangar construction project. There has been a pre- construction conference about the new fuel system. He spoke about the planning and work required for the removal of the old fuel system. The removal includes the fuel self-service kiosks. Brian Urbach will work on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. It will be presented to the board at the March meeting. Any grant contract matching funds for the coming year must be included in the budget. Paul Nutting suggested having a ground breaking ceremony for the new above ground fuel system project. This would allow city, county, and economic development board officials to generate publicity about how local matching funds at five percent (5%) of project cost are securing major state and federal grant funding for the construction of necessary improvements to the airport. Since the work on the project will begin during budget preparation, this should reinforce the need for adequate funding to ensure the implementation of the Airport Capital Improvement Plan over the long-term. Highland Rim Aviation's lease expires August 22, 2024. Brian Urbach said the lease template is ready and he will review the rates to be charged soon. We should be able to make a good estimate of what the approximate income from the new contract will generate for the budgeting process. Chairman Paul Nutting asked for comments by board members. Mayor Billy Vogle asked about the status of the State of Tennessee Equity Fund for Aviation. Rick Hudgens explained it was funded by a tax on fuel. The fund has decreased over the years as the tax has decreased. There is other money from federal and state programs that help fund general aviation airports. Billy said as money that helped fund general aviation airports decreased from some programs, it must be replaced by money from local sources. There being no more business to discuss, Chris Simpkins made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:49 am. Jerry Converse seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously by a voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Edison Guthrie Secretary - Treasurer Page 2 of 2