AIRPORT COMMISSION

WEDNESDAY,

November 13, 2007

5:00 PM

 

 

Members Present:         Heath Gatlin, Michael Leger, Steven Page,

Steve Tait, and Michael Valenti (arr. 5:10p).

 

Members Absent:                   None

 

Others:                          Michael Garrity, Russ Kimball, Butch Lisenby,

                                      and Roger Putnam

                       

MEETING AGENDA

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

 

MINUTES   

Motion:  Accept the minutes of the October 10th meeting as written.

Motion:  Steve Tait     Seconded:  Heath Gatlin    Vote:  4-0-0.

 

REPORTS

                               

Handicap Access – Terminal Door Update

We’re just waiting for completion of the project; just the mechanism will be replaced.  We’re currently waiting for a date and only the front door will be done.

 

 Airport Pay Phone Update

Heath G. has done an extraordinary amount of research for this project.  There are quite a few options but they all have problems – monetary or otherwise.  The most accommodating system would be a $36/month landline for unlimited local calling (meaning Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet) with 911 access.  The $36/month charge could easily increase to just under $50/month taking into consideration taxes, etc.  The phone would also be available for people to use with their calling cards.

 

Butch said he has a call in to the company called Mr. Telephone in Hyannis.  They have the ability to do everything from “soup to nuts” and they anticipated it would cost $165 up front for the installation and then $100/hr after that. 

 

Next the talk turned to enclosing the phone.  Many of the weatherproof boxes that you can buy for telephones gingerly suggest “water resistant” and not waterproof. 

When Mr. Telephone comes down Butch will explore all options with them.  Butch ruminated that even though a regular phone might only cost $25 and last for 6 months............. why not go that route and replace phone every 6 months or so. 

 

Bottom Line:  Butch will have met with “Mr. Telephone” by the next meeting and will have all the answers to the myriad of questions presented tonight.

 

Two big concerns are the location of the phone and making sure it’s handicapped accessible.  The biggest ADA concern would be height of the access mechanism and beyond that – its placement could necessitate moving some things. 

 

Access Gate to Aircraft Parking Ramp Update

The problems have been many and the solution is now viewed as a change in the whole board of the access gate.  Roger P. said that its working seems to be on a whim; Butch says there’s no rhyme or reason to its malfunctioning.  It was put in 2002 – maybe spiking in power is the problem – maybe it’s just a bad board – but – at any rate – a replacement board should hopefully eliminate the frustration with the gate.  Butch really feels the problems are weather related.

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

EA/FEIR/DRI Update

Mike Garrity said that he didn’t have a whole lot to report.  He had sat down with the FAA and tried to get some back up information from them.  They reported that they’ve had no more progress with the National Park Service (NPS).  Sharon Lynn called Michael Leger and asked if he would go with her up to a meeting with George Price.  It was Michael L.’s feeling that there has been a bit of mis-com­muni­­cation between the NPS and the Town.   

 

Michael G. is trying to get the NPS to know about the improvements that have been both requested and made - and the reasons for them.  He also said that the letter from George Price was in response to the draft which had already been approved.  As far as the environmental assessment portion is concerned – the FAA and the NPS want to work this out.  The Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) hasn’t responded either.    

 

 

Mike G. said he’s working very closely with the Cape Cod Commission (CCC) to see what they’re willing to exempt.  Everyone will be working closely with the FAA. 

 

Butch said that the NPS has floated an idea about doing a controlled burn to get rid of the dead reeds in the neighborhood of Hatches Harbor.  It would be valuable to let George P. know that this is not an airport idea.  Also, George Price has never taken a tour of the airport.  Michael L. said that George P. mentioned the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and brought up Jackson Hole (the only other airport that is within a national park) and felt that perhaps the national parks’ agreement with them could be used as a template.

 

Terminal Ramp Reconstruction Update  

Butch said that he had had a pre-design meeting with the FAA and they have no issues with the terminal ramp reconstruction.  There is also a lot of information in the computers and hopefully this will keep the cost down a bit.  Butch said that the only way we can do this project is to not change anything – just refurbish.

 

LEO Contract Update

Butch said that our last meeting we said that we had received a grant and it wasn’t enough money.  This coming Thursday there will be a meeting on flexible response and the flexible response timing is something that has to be decided upon in the future.  It will be based on what Acting Police Chief Tobias decides is a reasonable number.  Butch doesn’t know if we’ll walk away with an agreement.         In prior discussions it sounded like flexible response would be feasible in the winter and full time in the summer but nothing is set in stone.  Butch said that we would like a good idea of an agreement so that we can figure out our budget.   One possibility may be a hard detail in the morning from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then flexible response for the rest of the day?  The problem is that the police have to have the ability to respond and the manpower needed.  – At this time of year there are only two police officers on at a time in the Town and the TSA says that you have to show us that you have guaranteed response. 

 

Roger Putnam said that since there is mutual aid between Truro, Wellfleet, and Provincetown – couldn’t that be factored in?   

 

Landing Fee Termination Update  

Butch is still waiting to hear from Vector.  It looks like they are currently busy with contracts with New Bedford and an airport in Maine. 

 

MacMillan Pier Transportation Center Update

Michael L. reported that the MacMillan Pier Transportation Center seems to be at a stand still. Not much is happening.    

                        

NEW BUSINESS

Steve Tait said that we probably need a meeting since the budget is due on the 28th.   Butch would like to put in a line item for security just in case we wind up short on our plans.  At least it will let people know that we do have problems waiting in the wings.  Butch continued by saying that he is concerned that if we don’t use this grant, we’ll lose it. 

                            

We all know how TSA operates but if we never use it – it is possible that they’ll take it away.  On Monday or Tuesday of next week we will meet on the budget.

Also the Provincetown Business Summit will be meeting on the 28th.

 

Heath G. wondered about the runway approach path cutting.  Butch said that he is going to try to stretch it through the winter.  The FAA did arrive and right now there’s no official “gotta get it done” directive so we will try to do it in the spring.

 

Provincetown has a slight increase of enplanements this year unlike many other Cape Air stations.  Rutland started last week and Indianapolis will begin next week.

 

Heath G. asked if the cameras on the light poles are functioning.  Butch said that when the DSL got put in - it disturbed the whole system.  He’s trying to get someone down here and look at the security cameras; Butch doesn’t even know if the cameras still work.  When functioning - two of them pan and the others are stationary.  Butch is anxious to interact with the group at the Monument to possibly get a repeater to send the cameras signal to the police station. The current photo system records to a hard drive for a day and a half or so.  He would like to increase memory for 30 days or so. 

 

PAYMENT VOUCHERS     

1.  S. V. Raleigh            hangar door – rewired, etc.                      $1,824.

Motion:  Approve payment to S.V. Raleigh for $1,824.

Motion:  Steve Tait       Seconded:  Heath Gatlin       Vote:  5-0-0.

 

2.  Kenyon Wheeler      light bulbs, etc.                                             $960.

Motion:  Approve payment to Kenyon Wheeler in the amount of $960.

Motion:  Michael Leger      Seconded:  Steve Tait           Vote:  5-0-0.

 

 

NEXT TWO MEETING DATES (BOTH AT 5:00 P.M.) ARE:

DECEMBER 11TH and JANUARY 8TH   BOTH ON TUESDAYS.

 

After the January 8th meeting date, all future meetings of the Airport Commis­sioners will take place on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m., i.e., February 5th, March 4th, April 1st, etc.......................

 

Adjournment happened at 6:15 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Evelyn Gaudiano

Evelyn Rogers Gaudiano

 

APPROVED: DEC 11, 2007