Airport operations rise in Q1; council hears ordinance to reconstitute airport advisory board

City public works staff reported first‑quarter airport activity and fuel sales and told the council the city is still awaiting Federal Aviation Administration approval of an updated airport layout plan.

Staff reported 15,201 total operations for the quarter, with 14,043 operations attributed to visiting aircraft and 1,158 to aircraft based at the airport. Fuel sales for the quarter were reported as 15,494 gallons of Avgas and 4,074 gallons of jet fuel, with reported totals listed by staff in the quarterly packet.

The operations-by-day graph showed Thursday as the busiest weekday (3,149 operations), and staff reported the busiest hours are roughly between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Staff also said they are drafting updated airport rules, regulations and minimum standards and are planning a summer “fly‑in” open house.

Separately, the council held a first reading of an ordinance to reconstitute the Airport Advisory Board. The city manager explained the board was originally created by ordinance in 1994; it ceased to function in February and staff prepared a modernized ordinance that aligns the airport board with the city’s other advisory boards. The proposed ordinance specifies seven board members who must be city residents, property owners in the city, or owners/co‑owners of a business in the city. If the ordinance is adopted on second reading, staff plans to open a public call for applications through May 30.

Public works staff also noted related city work: updates on airport rules and standards, planning for a summer fly‑in event, and a separate agenda item this evening (the airport ordinance first reading) that ties into the timing for collecting applications.

No formal vote was taken on the ordinance at this meeting; council held the first reading and legal counsel reviewed the document.