Elkhart Board of Aviation Commissioners accepts insurance quote, approves leases and runway inspection work; authorizes roof quotes and Rotary launch study

ELKHART, Ind. — The Elkhart Board of Aviation Commissioners on April 30 approved a series of routine and capital-related items including an insurance renewal, multiple lease actions, authorization to solicit roofing quotes for a maintenance building, and a professional services agreement to inspect runway pavement tied to an FAA grant application.

The measures, taken by roll call votes during the meeting, affect airport insurance coverage, tenant hangars and land leases, a planned pavement inspection and testing contract worth $137,820 (plus reimbursable expenses), and a $2,500 donation-fund expenditure to support the Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles program.

Why it matters: the votes advance near-term maintenance and tenant projects at Elkhart Municipal Airport, start procurement for a maintenance building roof that city staff say is leaking, and position the airport to pursue a discretionary FAA grant to fund runway work. Several items also affect tenant rents and farm lease acreage that generate local revenue.

Airport director Andy Jones opened the meeting with a brief managerreport and project updates, and later asked the board to accept the insurance renewal and to allow several tenant- and capital-related actions to proceed.

Insurance renewal and terrorism rider declination Airport Director Andy Jones recommended accepting the renewal quote from Old Republic for the airportaircraft/airport liability coverage. Jones told the board the carrierquoted about $600 higher than last year. Board members also voted to decline an optional "war on terrorism" rider estimated at about $2,500.

The board first approved an amendment to the motion to explicitly decline the terrorism rider, then approved the insurance acceptance as amended. The roll call on the final motion recorded Tom (yes), Maggie (yes) and Devin (yes).

National Supply hangar modification Jones explained National Supply (formerly owned by Speed Legal) holds a land lease for a hangar on airport property and requested approval to enlarge the hangar opening and install new doors to accommodate a larger aircraft. Jones said the tenant will pay for the work and must obtain appropriate permits and approvals before construction proceeds. The board approved the request; the roll call recorded Tom (yes) and Maggie (yes).

Elkhart Rotary Impact Club kayak launch improvements Jones described a Rotary Impact Club proposal to study and pursue improvements to the canoe/kayak launch on airport property along Christiana Creek. He said the Rotary Impact Club would work with Parks staff and noted that any permitting (including Department of Natural Resources involvement for the waterway) and insurance issues would be resolved before work began. The board authorized staff to allow the Rotary group to continue planning; the roll call recorded Tom (yes) and Maggie (yes).

Authorization to solicit quotes for South Side maintenance building roof Jones reported the South Side maintenance building roof has deteriorated and water intrusion is causing damage. He said the city worked with the mayorredevelopment commission staff and that redevelopment funding could be available because the airport is in the Airplex TIF district. He asked the board to authorize soliciting quotes; members approved and directed staff to return bids at a future meeting. The roll call recorded Tom (yes), Maggie (yes) and Doug (yes).

Farm lease addendum increases acres and raises rent per acre The board approved an addendum to a farm lease that increases the farmed acreage from 125 to 169 acres and raises the lease fee to $200 per acre (from the prior rate that had been $1 per acre under earlier terms and some rent-credit arrangements). The roll call recorded Tom (yes) and Maggie (yes).

Hangar 22 lease renewal The board approved a five-year lease (with a five-year extension) for Hangar 22 with tenant Hans Ashbaugh operating as EV Aircraft LLC. The lease sets rent at $1,000 per month for the first five years and $1,500 per month for the optional extension. The board noted the tenant had paid $800 per month previously plus rent credits for capital improvements. The roll call recorded Tom (yes), Maggie (yes) and Doug (yes).

Donation-fund expenditure for Young Eagles event The board approved a $2,500 transfer from the airport donation fund (balance reported at over $9,000) to offset fuel and food expenses for an upcoming Young Eagles event and associated chicken barbecue. The event date mentioned during the meeting was May 7. The roll call recorded Tom (yes) and Reggie (yes).

Professional services agreement for runway/pavement inspection (subject to FAA grant) Paul, a BFNS representative, presented a proposed professional services agreement to provide construction-phase resident inspection, shop-drawing review, grant administration and related services for the Warren Way / Runway pavement project. Paul said the professional services contract amount is $137,820; reimbursable expenses were listed at $32,002.20 (items cited included a legal notice for $800, resident-inspector mileage, and a placeholder of about $28,000 for third-party acceptance testing/materials testing). Paul also said the FAA now requires a signed professional services agreement and an independent fee estimate (IFE) to accompany the grant application; the IFE was estimated at roughly $3,500.

Paul described the agreement as "the construction services agreement for the runway," and the board approved the contract subject to legal review and to award contingent on FAA grant funding. The roll call recorded Tom (yes) and Maggie (yes).

Procedural items Earlier in the meeting the board approved the April 30 agenda, minutes from the March 26 meeting, and claims totaling $66,362.50. Those procedural items were approved by recorded roll calls during the meeting.

What happens next - Staff will solicit and open roofing quotes and return recommended bids at a future board meeting. - If awarded, the BFNS inspection contract and associated testing would proceed only if the FAA discretionary grant is awarded; the agreement and IFE will be submitted with the grant application and remain subject to legal review. - The Rotary group and any contractors must secure required permits and DNR approvals before work at the Christiana Creek launch begins.

The meeting concluded after routine adjournment motions.