City of Lawrence

Aviation Advisory Board Meeting

September 24, 2014 Minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Jonathan Becker, Dan Born, Richard Haig, Gary Knudsen, Jeff Long, Anthony Perez, and Cheri Thompson

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

None

 

STAFF PRESENT:

Charles Soules

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Lloyd Hetrick and Rick Bryant

 

 

  1. Call to Order:

Richard Haig called the meeting to order at 6:42 PM.

 

  1. The Previous Meeting Minutes:

Jonathan Becker moved, Cheri Thompson seconded the minutes of the prior meeting of May 14, 2014 be approved.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

  1. Airport Manager’s Report:

Rick Bryant reported on the Electrical Project, which will replace the taxiway identifiers and bring all of the signage into compliance with new FAA rules.  Half of new signs will be LED lighting, with some saving in electrical utility costs.   The primary time for the project will be the concrete pads with trenching for new signs.  There may be short-term closures with trenching at the intersection.

 

The Environmental Assessment currently underway will last for five years.  Assessment will include a drainage study.  The Oxbow drainage will have to meet a number of standards including habitat, historical, cultural, and obstructions.  The historical and cultural assessment will require 700 shovel digs and 14 auger drillings to see if anything is discovered.  This additional assessment is going to cost $20k and City is going to have to advance this outside of the 90-10 agreement to pay.  Rick Bryant explained the difference between the grant and scope of the grant.  There will be an October 9th meeting with the working groups at the airport at 2:00 pm.

 

After discussion it was recommend the next meeting of the Board be spent on CIP planning whose grant is due in 2/15. 

 

After discussion it was recommended that the KAIP Grant submittals address the pooling and concrete decay on the west side of the airport.

 

The board acknowledged the nice thank you from Dean Kettle re: the NEON project. The old tower has been taken down.  The Board was reassured the new tower will be lighted, painted, and the support wires will be marked with orange obstruction balls.

 

  1. FBO Report:

The Fire Dept. is using the abandoned taxiway for driver training.  This led to a general discussion of mock emergency training with the Police, Fire, Hospital and shareholders.  There was also a discussion about numbering of the buildings so that emergency personnel would be able to visually notify buildings.  Lloyd Hetrick will check with Fire Dept. about what information is necessary for emergency. 

 

  1. October 4, 2014 Sister City Flight:

Richard Haig reported that the Chamber was interested in flights for Sister City Delegates.  Richard would be getting together with Ron Renz and Bruce Boyer to get rides for the 20 delegates.

 

  1. Other Business:

Dan Born brought up a crop-duster in July flying near the airport with no radio contact.  He inquired whether there was any NOTAM of nearby crop dusting

 

Jeff Long thanked the city for sealing the cracks on the taxiway.  Jeff expressed interest in purchase of a used brake calibration device for $3-4,000 as an additional safety measure.  The board suggested the addition of its existence to weather information for safety.  There was a general discussion of using ASOS to increase information, braking, migration, bird migration.

 

It was reported the Wittenberg family wants to have a memorial service at the airport.

 

  1. Next Meeting Date & Time:

The next meeting will be Thursday, October 30, 2014.

 

  1. Adjournment:

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm.

 

Next Meeting time is 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 30, 2014, in the Richardson Memorial Pilots' Lounge at the Lawrence Municipal Airport Terminal Building.