Alva Review-Courier -

The eight new T-hangars on the airport property have not been leased yet. The construction firm has not yet completed their “punch list.” This is because they don't want to return to Alva until all the electricity is in place, and that is waiting on action from OGE.

For several years, a waiting list has been posted at the airport naming those who wanted to rent hangar space when it became available. Many of those expressing interest did so because they had to share a large hangar that held many aircraft and it was difficult to extract their plane if they wanted to fly.

Now that the airport board has established a rate of $150 per month as rent for the new hangars, several of those on the waiting list are wondering if they can afford the individual hangars since the shared space is around $40 per month.

Also, there was some confusion as to who had priority. At Monday night's meeting, the priority issue was clarified with this amendment to the hangar policy:

15 Subsection b: The airport manager will offer current hangar lessees the option to trade their current hangar for any other unoccupied hangar. This will be done in an order based on their seniority (number of years leasing hangars). After current lessees have been given the opportunity to change hangars, the airport manager will then go down the waiting list to fill all open hangars.

Quotes by Levi Rose for dirt work at the site of the turf runway were listed as follows: 80 hours of dozer work totaling $10,800 and 10 hours of grader work costing $1,350. Member Paul Kinzie asked if there is a chance the actual price might come in higher and Rose said he skewed his bid to the higher range so there would be no chance of overrun.

The authority then spent several minutes about the best approach to “un-lease” the land where a farmer has a wheat crop growing. He has a three-year lease, but has paid only one year of that lease so far. Also, he has expended the expenses to plant a wheat crop and needs to recover that. The board tossed around the idea of waiting until harvest is over so that they would not have to guess as to the value of the wheat that could be destroyed.

Finally, a motion was approved to pay the leaseholder proper damages for his unharvested crop after negotiation to its likely value. Board member Terry Turner was adamant about wanting to start dirt work as soon as possible. One reason for this is it is early enough in the growing season that grass could be sprigged into the dirt runway. After June 1, it is thought sprigging would be too late and wasted effort. The new runway will require 8.3 acres of the leased land. A likely additional amount of that size will be required for the sides and approaches to the turf runway.

Joe Don Dunham, city manager, is working with Greg Murray on next year's budget. He asked that Paul Kinzie join them in planning. Dale Logsdon said he would like to volunteer for that committee also.

Board member Terry Turner listed several concerns:

• There are weeds growing in joints in the concrete and these should be handled. Murray answered that he had already started spraying those just this week.

• The weekend help could be doing more yard maintenance instead of sitting inside or possibly leaving the airport unattended.

• He believes the spending limit for repairs that the manager has authority to make is too high and should be reduced to $1,000. Other city supervisors have a $15,000 limit and Dunham has a $25,000 limit. Turner emphasized that Greg Murray has done nothing wrong, but he thinks the spending limit is too high for items without board approval. The board pointed out that so long as the manager is spending money in the budget for items named in the budget the board has already given approval when they approved the budget. Turner was insistent the item be added to next month's agenda.

Manager Murray said several maintenance items were accomplished. The new AWOS (automated weather observing system) computer has been installed and is working great. The airport beacon's motor went out and had to be replaced. The motor on the smaller beacon also needs to be replaced, and the Jet-A truck has to have a rear wheel seal replaced and an airline leak repaired.

He said fuel sales were about typical, totaling.$13,483. Fifty-eight percent of sales came from Aviation gas and 41 percent came from Jet A fuel.

No action was taken on the lease agreement with Terry Cline, BancCentral and the airport board because the bank's attorney has not yet returned the modified contract.