Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Airport director reports uptick in activity; LED lighting, pavement projects moving forward
Summary
Staff reported an 8% rise in operations and a 16% increase in fuel sales year-over-year; the board was briefed on a delayed master plan, a council-approved crack-repair project pending FAA sign-off, and an LED retrofit expected to save roughly $60,000 over three years.
Airport staff briefed the Fayetteville/Drakefield Airport board on operations, planning and capital work during the Oct. 16 meeting.
Jared, presenting the director's report, said the airport is seeing higher activity with about an 8% increase in operations and roughly a 16% increase in fuel sales year-over-year through September. He said staff attended the Arkansas Airport Operators Association conference to monitor evolving aviation technology and trends, including drone operations.
Staff said the airport master plan remains under consultant review and is delayed until the consultant resumes work; the business plan effort has begun and staff expect an interim briefing in the months ahead. A pavement crack-repair project for east-side T-hangars was reported as approved by city council on Oct. 7; staff will send design language to the FAA and expect construction to begin in spring after FAA sign-off.
On energy and facilities, staff described an East Side lighting improvement that will replace interior and exterior T-hangar fixtures with new LED units (Jared noted fixtures about 14,000 lumens each). Staff said a utility rebate/program (referred to in the meeting as "Swetco") is contributing to the project and that the retrofit is estimated to save about $60,000 in utility costs over three years.
On leases, staff said museum lease negotiations are being handled by city staff; the airport reported a move to a one-year automatic renewal format for arts and outreach leases rather than the prior three-year renewals.
Museum interim director Hallie reported on museum programming: 750 visitors in September, three school tours and four adult tours, an Antonov AN-2 on display through April, a ghost-hunt and trunk-or-treat event on Oct. 23, and a Veterans Day breakfast Nov. 8. Hallie thanked staff for support with the Antonov arrival and outreach partnerships including University of Arkansas and Leadership Fayetteville.
Staff closed the item with updates on two recent hangar roof leaks discovered after heavy rain; staff plan to trial door-seal and flashing repairs on a small set of doors, evaluate costs, and potentially present a budget request in January depending on results.
The board asked staff to return with updates on these projects at future meetings and to include the tidy-up/cleanup item for T-hangar enforcement on the next agenda.
