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Worcester Area Pilots Association - NEWS | |
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The Seven Hundred-second Meeting of the Worcester Regional Airport Commission was held on Monday, November 4, 2002 at 6:30 PM in the Conference Room at the Worcester Regional Airport.
Members present were: Chairman Michael Amir, Vice Chairman Tom Gorham, Commissioners William Downey and James Powell.
Also present were: Eric N. Waldron, Airport Director, Rick Foley, City liaison, Bruce Wright, M&M Transport, Phil Niddrie and Tom Sweeney from the City Development Office.
Chairman Amir called the meeting to order at 6:30PM.
1. Approval of the minutes of the October 7, 2002 Meeting
Commissioner Gorham moved, seconded by Commissioner Perrone, to approve the minutes of the October 7, 2002 Meeting. All in favor - So Voted.
At this point in the meeting, Chairman Amir indicated that, in deference to the visitors from the City Development Office and M. & M. Transport and, with the concurrence of the Commissioners, he would like to take agenda item 6. New Business, out of order. The other Commissioners concurred.
6. New Business
a) Phil Niddrie gave an overview of the status of two vacant parcels in the Airport Industrial Park that his office and the Airport Director have been working on for some time. The Commission was briefed on this earlier this year.
Since that time, the City has been successful in engaging an engineering firm to perform an overview of the two parcels, to determine how much land is available and what can be done with each parcel. This study is being paid for by the City but will, hopefully, be reimbursed through a state grant.
The product will be a pre-development feasibility study for the parcel that will identify the full costs for developing each site and will enable the City to put out an RFP to locate a tenant on each. Mr. Niddrie indicated that he hopes to have the first study completed in December, and if so, the City would put out of RFP in the winter, in time for a possible groundbreaking by Spring, 2003.
The second parcel may be studied concurrently with the first parcel, or shortly thereafter, depending on funding/cash flow issues.
Mr. Niddrie advised that he and his staff have met with the Airport Director and Massport in Boston, that they are supportive of the studies and subsequent development and that they will be kept in the loop and fully advised as the process moves forward.
All rental payments for these properties will be paid to the Airport.
Chairman Amir advised the Members that Commissioner Nemeth had met with him earlier in the day and gave him his written proxy, voting favorably on the next two agenda items.
b. The next item of business of under New Business was for the extension of and addition to the M&M Transport License Agreement.
Mr. Waldron introduced Mr. Bruce Wright from M&M Transport to the Commissioners. Mr. Waldron explained that M&M Transport had been granted a license agreement by the Commission earlier in the year to store empty tractor-trailers on an unused parcel behind the airfield maintenance facility. He indicated that the arrangement has worked very well for both parties, so well in fact that M&M Transport now wants to extend the agreement and add a new site to it. The new site is behind the cold storage facility at the Airport, and the company would like to also have use of one bay in the cold storage building. M&M has indicated that they would like a three-year agreement to use both the old area and the new area, and that they will pay $2000 per month for each area, or a total of $4000 dollars per month.
Mr. Waldron indicated that he has worked with staff and determined that we can accommodate M&M’s request and that he is fully supportive of it. However, he noted that it may be necessary to enter into a single year license agreement with the company, rather than a three-year license. He has a request into the City Law Department to clarify the matter, but had not received a response by the meeting time. He suggested that, if the Commission is inclined to approve this request, he be allowed to make the term either one or three years depending on the response from the Law Department. Mr. Wright indicated to the Members that he was comfortable with the either arrangement.
M&M is one of the companies that the City and Airport have been working with to locate permanently on one of the two parcels in the Airport Industrial Park. Mr. Waldron indicated that he had assurances from M&M that utilization of the requested space will not affect the Company's long-term interest in the Industrial Park.
Mr. Niddrie indicated that he and the City Development Office support the request of M&M that is before the Commission at this time.
Commissioner Downey moved, seconded by Commissioner Gorham, to enter into a License Agreement with M&M Transport, as requested by the Airport Director. All in favor - So Voted.
c. The final item to be presented under New Business was the extension of the Civil Air Patrol License to continue using a portion of the ground floor in the ARFF/Security building for their headquarters. Mr. Waldron explained to the Members that this is a non-economic agreement, that the Civil Air Patrol performs a vital role in aircraft search and rescue and, that under the new federal security standards, has been performing functions for the federal government relating to Homeland Security.
Chairman Amir then further clarified the role of the Organization by noting some of the high-profile search and rescue missions that they had participated in, including the search a few years ago off the coast of Martha's Vineyard for John F. Kennedy, Jr.
Commissioner Gorham moved, seconded by Commissioner Downey, to approve the extension of the Civil Air Patrol License Agreement, as requested by the Airport Director. All in favor - So Voted.
2. Reports of Commission Chairman
Chairman Amir reported on the following three items: 1. He noted that Worcester only has one airline left serving it and that we have added a focus on the General Aviation sector of the industry. We are addressing issues to make the Airport more user-friendly for a General Aviation, specifically in the area of vehicle access to the field. 2. The Chairman indicated that after the upcoming elections the City and the ad hoc marketing group will approach Massport relative to the airlines to determine how Worcester might recover what it has lost in air service. 3. Chairman Amir indicated that while the airport is in a less active air carrier mode, we need to continue to focus on building the infrastructure to improve the facility, so that as the industry recovers, we will be able to accommodate their increased demand. He identified the CAT II/III ILS Study as an example of this.
3. Reports from Commission Subcommittees
Citizens Advisory - No new information to report.
Marketing - No new information to report.
General Aviation - Commissioner Powell indicated that he had nothing new to report at this time, but that he had begun researching the items covered in last month's meeting and that his report will be forthcoming at a subsequent meeting.
4. Reports of Airport Director
CAT II/III Study Update- Mr. Waldron indicated that he, the Chairman and Commissioner Powell have met and reviewed the draft Study and that a full briefing and presentation by the consultant for the entire Commission will be set up for a future meeting, probably in January. He noted that key sections of the draft report were not included in the copies that the group reviewed, but that they have now been provided and the group needs to reconvene to consider them.
Security Update- The Director advised that TSA has indicated that Worcester will receive a smaller baggage-screening device, as he had speculated at the October Commission Meeting. He indicated that he has worked closely with USAirways Express and the firm designing the location of the equipment and that he was happy to report that a mutually agreeable location and design had been reached. He then reviewed the actual design drawing with the Members. With this resolved, he reported that it now appears likely that the airport will indeed see the equipment installed in time to meet the federal mandate.
Cell Tower- Mr. Waldron reminded the Commissioners of a plan to possibly install a Cellular Antenna Tower at the Airport that he had reviewed with them earlier in the year. He indicated that he has reviewed the project with the City and with Massport and that it appears that the City will issue an RFP for such a Tower in the near future. He advised that there is potential for significant new revenue to the airport from such a structure and that he has been advised by the City Attorney's Office that the Airport is designated as a zone for such a Tower.
Tatnuck Land Sale- The Members were advised that earlier in the week, for sale signs appeared on the right side of the road leading from the airport to Mill Street. Mr. Waldron indicated that he had made inquiries and found that there is a 12 acre parcel owned by the Tatnuck Country Club on that side of the hill and that it is now for sale, for over $900,000. He further advised that it appears none of the property falls in an area that would allow its purchase by the airport to be eligible for a federal grant.
Fuel Farm- The Director noted that a number of years ago there had been a small fuel spill at the Airport fuel farm and, that over the past several years, the airport has been involved in a number of remediation reports and activities on the site. He advised that Massport's position has been, consistently, that eventually the fuel farm will need to be closed and the site fully remediated. Recently Massport suggested that the latter action should occur as soon as next year. Mr. Waldron indicated that this would be a very expensive proposition, probably in excess of $750,000 and that fuel farm's are not eligible for federal grants, and MAC has indicated an unwillingness to participate in any future fuel farm projects, so the cost would need to be borne entirely by the City, or some other private party.
Upon further discussion and review, Mr. Waldron advised that Massport Environmental has identified an alternative way of handling the problem that will cost approximately $20,000 per year to monitor, analyze and examine the site. He noted however, that Massport will insist on a full site remediation prior to any transfer of ownership of the airport to the Agency, should that occur in the future.
5. Old Business
Commissioner Downey reported that he and the Airport Director attended the MAC/MAMA sponsored Airport Commissioner Training Session held in Plymouth, MA, the previous weekend. He indicated that the session was very informative and well worth the time to attend. He noted that he was given resource material and documents at the training session that he would be happy to share with other Commissioners. Finally, he noted that the Airport Director had been elected to the position of Secretary of MAMA.
7. Adjournment
Prior to adjournment, the date for the next Commission Meeting was set for Monday, Nov. 9th at 6:30 PM in the Airport Terminal Conference Room.
Commissioner Downey moved, seconded by Commissioner Gorham, to adjourn the meeting. All in favor - So Voted.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:52 PM.
Eric N. Waldron, A.A.E. Airport Director and Clerk of the Commission
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