DeKalb Times

City of DeKalb Airport Advisory Board met June 23.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

A. Roll Call

B. Approval of Agenda – Additions / Deletions

C. Public Participation

D. Approval of Minutes

1. February 25, 2020

E. Old Business

1. Illinois Department of Transportation/Division of Aeronautics Aircraft Counting Study.

Airport Manager’s Summary: A temporary General Aviation Recording Device (GARD) traffic counts system has been installed in the upstairs office. We are working with IDOT for their state-wide aircraft traffic counting program that includes estimating aircraft operations and determining critical aircraft at the airport throughout the next year. The collected data will be used as one of the important factors in determining airport system planning and future development funding by IDOT and the FAA.

F. New Business

1. DKB-4331 – Taxiway – Rehabilitate T-Hangar Pavements, Airport Entrance Road, and Auto Parking Lot.

Airport Manager’s Summary: The IGA for this past completed project had a date range that expired April, 2020, and necessitated an amendment which extends the date in order for the consultant to submit invoices for work incurred once IDOT closes the project. Res 2020-054 for the Amendment was passed on 6/8/2020 along with a modification affidavit for the IGA since the end date had expired.

2. DKB-4853: CARES Act.

Airport Manager’s Summary: FAA CAREs Act program in which FAA is helping Airports with the impacts due to the COVID19 crisis. Internal Control Questionnaire (ICQ) for the 2021 fiscal year was completed by Sabrina Kuykendall Kvasnicka, Transit Planning & Grants Coordinator, on 4/7/20 and it was approved on 4/8/20, so we will be able to receive the funding. Invoices are being finalized for the two items for which we applied for reimbursement, a Frontier FM1015R mower deck, $19,500.00 and Airport Manager’s salary, $10,500.00, which totals the allotted award of $30,000.00. The State has assured the airports that as long as paperwork is complete and in order, payments should be processed quickly, following the State’s shut-down for its fiscal year shutdown, July 1-30.

3. DKB-4556: Relocate & Replace the Existing NAVAID Units on Runway Ends 2, 20, & 27.

Airport Manager’s Summary: This project has been bid out and awarded to William Charles Electric in the amount of $595,000.00. Resolution 2020-038 was passed on 5/11/20 for construction phase engineering with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly. The project total includes an additional 5% local share included in the total project cost, which is budgeted in Fund 260 (TIF #1 260-00-00- 83900). Included in the project is an installation of a supplemental wind cone at the end of Runway 9.

4. DKB-4800: Resurface Runway 2-20.

Airport Manager’s Summary: This project has reached 100% Construction Plans provided by Crawford, Murphy & Tilly and is slated for bid on the July 31, 2020 IDOT letting. This is an expected 45-day project, during which Runway 2- 20 will be closed along with adjacent taxiways, and during which a 15-day closure of Runway 9-27 will be required for intersection construction. After a 30-day period allowed for pavement curing, a 5-day construction window will be needed for Runway 2-20 surface grooving and runway marking painting, during which a 2-day closure of Runway 9-27 will be necessary. The total estimated cost is $4,387,329.66 with 90% FAA, 5% State, and 5% local funding; however, due to the impact of COVID-19, the FAA has said they will be funding 2020 projects at 100%. IDOT-DOA is fairly confident that this project will qualify since the letting is in July 2020, even though construction would not commence until 2021.

G. Reports

1. Airport Manager’s Report

My first Day was Monday, April 20, during the COVID-19 State Stay-at-Home order. My first six weeks were spent digging through mountainous piles of paperwork, culling old files, opening closets, touring airfield facilities, meeting City Staff and airport tenants at a distance, while acclimating myself to the airport environment and establishing a routine. Our dedicated line service staff has been wonderfully welcoming and willing and helpful beyond belief.

Andy Raih, City of Dekalb Streets and Facilities Director, has been wonderful from Day 1! He gave me a perimeter tour during my first week, and we have worked closely on coordinating weekly periodic runway closures for mowing operations around the runways and taxiways. Our new batwing mower deck went into service at the beginning of May and has provided an excellent fine cut alongside our zero-turn mower, which is operated by our full time Summer Temporary Staff, Jake. Andy also scheduled the street sweeper to clean up around all hangar buildings and the FBO to clear debris caused by snow removal operations, which was noticed and appreciated by our tenants.

The first week of May I was informed that our ramp-facing wide-angle PTZ camera is inoperative and is estimated at $1600 to replace. The cameras on the exterior of the FBO are monitored by DeKalb Police Department.

We are looking forward to offering faster Wi-Fi access to those who visit our FBO soon, as we will be receiving from Old City Hall a faster switch and replacement wireless routers for improved connectivity to the internet.

On Saturday, June 13, 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM we hosted the DeKalb County Health Department Household Hazardous Waste Event at the corner of Peace Road and Pleasant Street. A significant influx of items was collected due to the Stay-at-Home order creating space of time for residents to reduce and dispose of appropriately.

On Monday, June 15, our NIU Summer Intern, Dylan Moffitt, started working up to 40 hours per week and will be with us through August 14. He is already an asset, as he has jumped in with both feet, is completing tasks, and asking for more. I am having him evaluate our hangar rents against other regional airports and our land leases to determine if appropriate yearly CPI increases have been applied.

I have been investigating our various storage facilities. I am developing a game plan for moving equipment to different locations for better use of our space and anticipating rehabilitation of hangars.

Challenges and opportunities abound. I am looking forward to the possibility of using TIF funds for various rehabilitation and improvements of our dated facilities, a number of which are in need of significant repairs.

2. Flight and Ground Operations.

Airport Manager’s Summary: Having started as Manager in the middle of the Stay-at-Home order, I had no comparison for what might be considered “normal” flight and ground operations. Monthly fuel sales as recorded:

Our water spigot was set up the week of April 27 for owners to be able to taxi over to the north ramp and wash their airplanes!

Our required yearly fuel farm and fuel truck fuel filter replacements occurred on Tuesday, June 9, accomplished by Filtration Corp out of Addison. Two very knowledgeable FC technicians, Gordon and Mike, spent 12 hours with Kevin and Dave, with the remnants of Christobal causing a few monsoon delays. They also replaced a dirty metal, JetA valve assembly with stainless steel, after 2 trips to a Rockford supplier. The new valve assembly will be beneficial in two counts, allowing for clean, daily required fuel samples, and quicker draining of the filler vessel during future service intervals. Due to the challenging weather, the new valve assembly did end up with a drip leak, which was discovered on Wednesday by Rich, and Tom Brian was able to stop the drip. Mike, FC technician, returned Thursday morning and completed the valve tightening, returning the JetA Farm to service. Mike and Gordon were instructive for our staff and will provide a comprehensive report with recommendations for additional repairs and required inspections and replacements.

An asset insurance question arose regarding our Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) on the field after speaking with our FAA- contracted AWOS technician. The AWOS land line access feature is currently not allowing phone-in recordings for Notices to Airmen when we need to disseminate runway closures for mowing, snow removal, construction, etc. The technician suspects the cause to be a defective circuit board that most likely the FAA would not pay to repair/replace and is estimated to cost $2500 to $3000. He mentioned we would want to make sure our insurance is up to date. Because the feature is inoperative, each time we close a runway for mowing, I have to drive on the airfield to the AWOS station, open the locked gate, open the secure cabinet to access the land line handset, make the recording, resecure the cabinet, lock the gate and drive back to the parking lot. When mowing is complete, I have to take the same actions to cancel the runway closure recording.

This week, I worked with Kevin Howard on creating a digital form for tracking daily fuel sales and other line services that we offer, as we currently have two paper forms that are completed on a daily basis, which Kevin has to transpose to an existing spreadsheet for end of month accounting. I have started training our Line Service staff on its use.

I received notice from Dave Dahlburg, Line Service Technician, that he is in the final stages of on boarding requirements to be hired as a Community Service Officer for the City of Crystal Lake Police Department. He has offered to stay on in a more limited part time capacity for periodic weekend shifts. I will work with Michelle Brenning, Human Resources, to post the vacancy.

I have fielded noise/overhead air traffic complaints from two Cortland residents and have spoken with the regional FAA representative regarding it. I understand that a year ago May, an FAA-hosted meeting was held with the residents, Bill Nicklas, City Manager, and Tom Cleveland, Airport Manager, during which the FAA representative gave an informational presentation, explaining that the airport is in compliance with Federal Regulations. I have communicated that I trust that the pilots are also flying in accordance with the Federal Aviation Regulations, making their best decisions for safe operations based on conditions, traffic, and abilities.

3. Budget

Airport Manager’s Summary: I am tracking all expenditures as they occur to determine appropriate budget numbers for the 2021 FY. In May, the City declared a spending freeze for non-essential expenditures, as a result, I did not renew several print advertising avenues and want to evaluate them before deciding to renew at next print run interval. I have been evaluating contracted services as the invoices were received, and I have so far trimmed $3,240.00 from our expenses:

 EcoWater reverse osmosis service at 2100 Pleasant Street Maintenance hangar cancelled, $240.00/year.

 FBO DirectTV subscription cancelled, $1,164.00/year.

 MCI long distance for AWOS cancelled, $396.00/year.

 Frosty Pot portable toilet at 2100 Pleasant Street canceled, $1,440.00/year

4. Hangar Rentals

Airport Manager’s Summary: We have received several maintenance requests for lights out or roof leaks this spring, which have all been attended to in a timely fashion by Public Works staff.

We have entered a lease agreement with Tom Richards for his Cessna P210 which will hangar in our Community bay starting July 1, 2020, $431.98/month.

I have received 10 requests for hangars, heated and non-heated, since I arrived.

H. Adjournment

https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06232020-1840