05/03/2023 Airpark Advisory Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
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Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
3:00 PM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Airpark Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater
Airpark Advisory Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023
Roll Call
Present 3 - Chair Kelli O'Donnell, Board Member John Renton, and Board
Member Roger Schulman
Absent 3 - Board Member George Davis, Ex Officio Bruce Brock, and Board
Member Thomas Crockett
Also Present— Eric Gandy — Marine & Aviation Director, Bill Hodgson — Marine &
Aviation Assistant Manager, and Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approval of February 1, 2023, Airpark Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
Member Renton moved to approve the minutes of the February 1, 2023
Airpark Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written summation.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Welcome new Board member Thomas Crockett
Member Crockett was not present. The item was not discussed.
4.2 Marine and Aviation Director Project and Grant Updates
Marine and Aviation Director Eric Gandy said there are three projects
that will be presented to Council. There is a grant agreement for a re-mill
and overlay project in the amount of$2 million, the expectation is that
FDOT will provide $1.6 million with the remaining $400,000 paid out of
the Airpark Fund reserves as the 20% match. This project is based on
the state's pavement management plan which was reviewed by the city's
Public Works department who recommends the work be done now. The
next project is the new terminal design in the amount of$300,000, FDOT
will provide $400,000, the city will contribute $60,000 which will be
reimbursed by FlyUSA as part of the lease agreement. The last project is
the replacement of a 37-year-old golf cart, a new electric golf cart type
vehicle in the amount of$17,000 will take its place. FDOT will provide
$13,600 and the city will provide $4,400 out of Airpark Fund reserves.
The vehicle is used to move passengers and equipment around the
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Airpark Advisory Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023
facility.
Additional projects include fence maintenance at the southwest corner of
the property, the fence was in poor condition, and was only six feet high in
places. Approximately 500 linear feet of eight-foot fence was replaced with
triple strand barbed wire on top. The fence in remote locations of the
property is topped with triple strand barbed wire. There is a more ambitious
fencing project being pursued to replace the entire perimeter fence, which is
several miles of fencing. Quotes have been received for perimeter fence and
to clear overgrowth on the south side of the property and along Hercules
Ave. A security gate on Grand Ave. that was damaged by a vehicle crash
and replaced will become a new entrance to the property with proxy card
access and staff is in the process of obtaining quotes for that work. This will
allow access to the northern part of the property without having to drive on
the taxiway.
In response to questions, Mr. Gandy said the department works an assigned
engineer from Public Works who handles the aspects of construction and
inspections. Operations will continue through construction; the majority of
the re-mill and overlay work will be done on the apron and secondary
taxiways. All areas to be repaired are identified in the pavement
management plan. The project is to replace what is there now, no pavement
square footage will be added. Should an incident occur at the CNG station,
there are other gates on the property that can be opened for emergency
purposes. The terminal project scope and design has not been determined,
a Council resolution supporting the project is the first step of the process,
then the RFP will be issued to ascertain the scope. He said he has met with
FIyUSA to determine the overall concept and what the RFP will look like.
4.3 Fixed-Base Operator's Verbal Quarterly Update
Flight Based Operator(FBO) representative Barry Shevlin said the initial
turnover was a little chaotic and thanked aviation staff for their help in
facilitating the change. He said a 15- and 30-day update was provided to
the city and was forwarded to the Board and he intends to provide monthly
updates. Future updates will include safety initiatives. He will provide
updates to the various commitments FIyUSA have made to the city such as
removal of derelict aircraft and address fuel prices to make sure they are
one of the lowest in the Tampa Bay area. Two new fuel trucks were brought
in that have more extensive safety and monitoring capabilities. All staff is
going through industry recognized and standardized training. During the due
diligence phase of the turnover, it was determined that equipment around
the fuel farm was out of date such as the fuel hoses, the equipment has
been updated and made current at a cost of approximately$7,000 which the
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Airpark Advisory Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023
city did not have to contribute to. An instrument approach is being planned
for installation and a consultant firm has been brought on board to facilitate it
for runway 16. An instrument approach improves the safety and utility of the
airpark. The airpark is now staffed 24 hours a day and security has been
relocated to inside the FBO terminal. It was identified that the employees
and tenants of the north hangars, Tampa Bay Aviation maintenance facility
and the corporate hangar, had to drive on the taxiway to get to their
hangars. The city was receptive and agreed that an entrance on Grand Ave.
improves the safety of the airpark and will be installed in the next couple of
months. Approximately 20 planes have been determined to be derelict and
staff is working toward removal of the planes and non-renewal lease letters
were sent to a few tenants. He is continuing to educate the flight school on
new restrictions and has recently received positive feedback from the
neighborhood. He has received complaints regarding the increased rent but
said fuel prices have been reduced. Lower fuel prices attract new tenants.
In response to questions, Mr. Shevlin said the consultant will determine
what type of instrument approach system would be best. He said 100UL
gas may be provided in the future but would require another fuel tank. He
hopes to have a rotating beacon installed this year.
4.4 Presentation from City Clerk
The City Clerk reviewed the Board's mission. She said the Board does
not have the budget or authority to initiate a study related to the operation
and maintenance of the airpark but can make recommendations to Council
to establish a budget for any purpose related to the airpark maintenance and
operations.
Senior Assistant City Attorney Michael Fuino reviewed the sunshine law.
He reviewed the rules and consequences of a sunshine law violation.
In response to questions, Mr. Fuino said if a board member is in doubt of
an action, it is best to not do anything.
The City Clerk clarified that the board members may speak to the FBO
lease holder as individuals, but not as a representative of the Board. She
said all board members receive a packet of information when they are
appointed to a board regarding State of Florida ethics, sunshine law, public
records and FAQs. She provided the board with the information at their
seats along with the City Attorney's memo regarding advisory boards and
public records. She said board members may socialize with each other but
may not discuss anything that could potentially come before the board, and
that any board members may individually speak with the board liaison
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Airpark Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes May 3, 2023
without concern. Board members should forward any received
correspondence, good or bad, to the board liaison who can then share it
with the rest of the board.
Mr. Gandy said the board is in a sticky situation as they serve as volunteers
on an advisory board where the objective is to provide recommendations to
Council on the maintenance and operations of an airpark that has an
independent operator. He said he will always serve as a liaison and make
sure members do not inadvertently violate the sunshine law.
5. Old Business Items: None.
6. Director's Report
Mr. Gandy said there is a good partnership with FIyUSA. There is value
in educating residents on performance issues associated with aircraft
maneuvers such as take -offs, landings, and pattern work. Conversations
and engagement with the neighborhoods is helpful. He said he is optimistic
about the intensity reduction the neighborhood is looking for going forward,
but it does take time. The previous FBO had been in place for so long that
there was bound to be obstacles during the transition.
7. Board Members to be Heard: None.
8. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Chair, Airpark Advisory Bo
Attest:
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City of Clearwater