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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-19-2000 Called Meeting CALLED MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBERS September 19, 2000 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 19, 2000, the Honorable Bob Young, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Colclough, J. Brigham, Mays, H. Brigham, Shepard, Williams and Bridges, members of the Augusta Richmond County Commission. ABSENT: Hons. Cheek, Kuhlke and Beard, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Also present were members of the Augusta Aviation Commission; Randy Oliver, Administrator; Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission; and Jim Wall, Attorney. Mr. Mayor: We are short a Commissioner or two for a quorum, but we’re not taking any action at this called meeting. This meeting was called for the purpose of receiving a report from the Joint Airport Commission Study Committee, for lack of a better title. Last spring, we asked the Airport Commission at Daniel Field, the General Aviation Commission, and the Airport Commission at Augusta Regional Airport, the Augusta Aviation Commission, to try to develop a working relationship between two airports. And I think under the leadership of Lee Smith that we have an excellent report to present to the Commission today. Lee, you’d asked for some extra time; hence we are here a little early today to receive this. And then at our meeting at 2 o’clock on the agenda, one of the first items we have is to consider the resolution that’s been presented to us by your committee. Lee, I’ll turn the floor over to you. 1. Presentation from the Joint Aviation Commission. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As Mayor Young said, our committee was formed last spring and the objective of our committee was to develop a clearly- defined role and relationship between the two airports and airport commissions that will better enhance the greater Augusta community. We had a two-part goal. The first was jointly formulate common guidelines and policies as to how the two airports can work closely together, complementing the services of the other, to enable our community to become better recognized as a regional air service provider. The second part of that was to develop a combined visionary strategy that would bring value to our entire community and identify an airport system that will compete with other cities in the southeast. We had a great committee, and it was made up of Ed Skinner, Whitney O’Keeffe, and Ed McIntyre, representing the Augusta Regional Airport; Braye Boardman, Ed [inaudible] and Richard Isdell, representing the Daniel Field Airport; representing the Augusta Commission was Mr. Henry Brigham and Mr. Jerry Brigham. And also Tim Weegar and Buster Boshears. The two airport directors 2 joined us at several meetings, and they were instrumental in making the recommendations that our committee has adopted. The committee was very productive and yielded the following actions and recommendations, and I’ll summarize these: The Committee formally opened up a communication pathway between Augusta Regional Airport and Daniel Field Airport through a series of meetings including both directors of the airports. These meetings led to the creation of some guidelines which I will review later. The Committee recommends that the directors of both airports schedule quarterly meetings to discuss ways that they can improve Augusta’s airport system for the citizens and users of both airports. This dialog should be shared with their representative airport commission. Secondly, the Committee formally developed a set of guidelines that identify areas in which a greater cooperation between the airports would benefit customers of both airports, as well as the city of Augusta-Richmond County. These guidelines were submitted by the two airport directors and they are a living document and they will be subject to change if necessary. This is Attachment 1 in your report, Airport Working Guidelines. The airport directors identified three areas in which greater cooperation between the airports would benefit both airports and provide better service to the customers of the airports. They are: 1. Aviation services: Both airports can, by coordinating their efforts, ensure that a full range of aviation services are available to all users. These services include fuel sales, hangar, storage, ramp tie-down for all size of aircraft, maintenance for the piston and total props and jet maintenance, flight services including the training, aircraft, rental and charter services, aircraft repair, and airline services. It is important to note that each airport received federal grants and funding. In addition, Daniel receives state grants. Acceptance of this funding precluded the airports from granting exclusive rights to any commercial operator. Each airport must act in accordance with its own rules and regulations and the minimum standards it has developed. The city of Augusta- Richmond County provides aviation services at the Augusta Regional Airport. A privately-owned fixed-base operator operates these services at Daniel Field. At first, the degree of competition between the airports’ fixed-based operators appeared to be a matter of contention between the airport commissions. Although both airport directors feel there is some level of competition, they also feel like that the competition is healthy and it is a non-issue. 2. Government relations: There are a number of issues affecting both airports which come before some or all of the following agencies: Federal Aviation Commission, Georgia Department of Transportation, Augusta Planning and Zoning Commission, Augusta Fire Department 3 EMA, Augusta-Richmond County Commission. Better cooperation between the two airports were laid in the efforts of these airports to work harmoniously with all of these agencies, independently or together. 3. Customer relations: There are many patrons that use or benefit from both airports, including -- but not limited to -- citizens and businesses of the greater Augusta area. The airline industry. Augusta’s medical community. The military. Masters week visitors. The Augusta National Golf Club and its members. And many others. The committee believes it is crucial that the two airports coordinate services supplied to each and all of these customers. In addition to these three guidelines, the committee recommends the managers of both airports meet at least annually for the purpose of capital projects, for discussing capital projects at both airports, and the funds needed to complete such projects. This information should be shared with their respective airport commissions. I’d like to add that the mission statement and goals of both airports are attached to the report that’s been submitted. The Committee has worked diligently to foster a better working relationship between the two airports and airport commissions and is confident that the actions and recommendations just shared will positively impact a continuing communication between both airports and airport commissions. It is imperative that Augusta’s airport system perseveres to provide economic growth for the greater Augusta area. Therefore, the committee further recommends that the Mayor and Commissioners formally recognize that Augusta-Richmond County does indeed have an airport system. Included in your report is a resolution, Attachment 2. I might add that the airport system -- the Committee, with the help of Ed [inaudible], came up with a definition for an airport system. They asked both the FAA and the Georgia D.O.T. if they had such a definition. The FAA did it but it was more of an across-the-United- States type of definition. It didn’t apply as such to a region like the Augusta area. We submitted our definition to both the D.O.T. and the FAA and they were both very much impressed with how it was defined and they also, especially the FAA, indicated that Augusta is very unique in the fact that the size of a city like Augusta does indeed have two airports. And the fact that we were coming together to recommend to this body that we adopt an airport system concept was very positive in both their eyes. So I think it’s some very positive reflections and support from FAA and D.O.T. and very meaningful for what we tried to do. The resolution, I’ll go ahead and read this, if I may. A resolution supporting an airport system consisting of the Augusta-Regional Airport at Bush Field and the Daniel Field Airport: WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Joint Aviation Commission Committee was formed March 2000 with the objective to develop a clearly-defined 4 role and relationship between Augusta’s two airports and two aviation commissions that will better enhance the greater Augusta community; and WHEREAS, the Committee has submitted its report to the Augusta-Richmond County Commission; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Augusta-Richmond County Commission that it is the policy of Augusta, Georgia to operate an airport system consisting of Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field and the Daniel Field Airport. The airport system is defined as all public-use airports and aviation facilities of any type within the logical boundaries of Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia and under the governmental authority of Augusta, Georgia necessary to meet current and future air transportation needs and capable of providing aviation services on a regional basis. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Aviation Commissions and the management of these airports shall work together to provide such aviation services as may be required for all patrons using Augusta’s airports. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the airports must meet the needs of the businesses and citizens of this entire community, as well as customers of the airlines, the general aviation community, the military, the medical community, and our Masters week visitors. In doing so, the airports will provide but not be limited to the following services: airline service and related industries, fuel sales, aircraft storage, aircraft maintenance, and flight services. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the management of Augusta’s airports will work together to ensure that the airports are operated and maintained in compliance with the rules and regulations of Augusta, Georgia, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Georgia Department of Transportation. Mayor, that basically, which we hope will be duly adopted by the Augusta- th Richmond County Commission, this 19 day of September, 2000. That concludes my report. I thank our committee members for being here. Tim Weegar could not be here due to an airport managers conference in Savannah. Buster Boshears is here. If anyone has any questions, we’d be happy to address them. Mr. Mayor: Are there any members of either of the commissions who would like to say anything at this time in addition to what Lee has said? Any questions or comments from the Commissioners? Well, I hope the whole day goes like this. Mr. Bridges: Motion to approve the resolution, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Well, actually it’s on the agenda for the next meeting. Mr. Bridges: Okay. Mr. Mayor: This was called as a work session. But I appreciate it, and it’s one of the first things we’ll do at 2 o’clock. Lee, and to the members of the two commissions, I want to personally thank you for the diligence and the work that you put into this. I think we have two airports now. They are part of the airport system and we’ll have a relationship between these two airports unlike any relationship that we’ve had between the two boards in the past, and I think better and greater things lie 5 ahead for aviation and Augusta as a result of this. Thank you very much. Gentlemen, we’ll entertain a motion to adjourn. Mr. Bridges: So move. Mr. Mayor: We’re adjourned without objection. Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Nancy W. Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Called Meeting of Augusta Richmond County Commission held on September 19, 2000. Deputy Clerk of Commission