Meeting Notes : Consultant Screening/Oversight Committee
Committee notes reflect the views and opinions of the committee members and not necessarily those of the Noise Compatibility Study Group, Coordinating Council, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County, or the Consultant Team.
Committee members present were: Mike Clancey, Don Conrad, Dorn Crawford, Mary Rose Evans, Mindy Lambert, Pete Levermore, Tom Marks, Marvin Pilkenton, Joe Richardson, Denny Rued, Bill Simpson, Marnie Varela
Also present as guests of the committee were: Jim DeLong, J Michael Brown, Brian Ricks
The meeting was held at 6:30 at the RAA Board Room.
The proposed agenda was adopted.
The notes from previous meetings on Nov. 17 ‘99, Jan. 19 ‘00, and Feb. 10 ‘00 had been on the web site and print copies were distributed. These notes were discussed and approved by consensus.
Jim DeLong came to the meeting to give his airport manager’s perspective on the Noise Study. He talked about the RAA noise office, recommended by the Study Group for implementation before the noise study is complete. He introduced Brian Ricks, who was a noise officer at Minneapolis and Denver.
Brian talked about his role in an airport authority noise office. He said a large part of his role was that of a mediator working to enhance communications and relations among airport users, neighbors, the FAA, and airport authority. He said that he found a flight tracking system to be a very useful tool in handling questions about noise.
Jim then talked about the current noise mitigation relocation program, with its remaining price tag estimated at $153 million. He said that even with money from sources including, $20 million from the Kentucky General Assembly in 2002, the LoI from the FAA, and PFCs of $4 million per year going into the relocation programs, there will still be a $39 million shortfall.
He intends to present a proposal to the airlines and the RAA to bond against the PFCs for $40-$50 million and possibly complete relocation in four years. For this to work, he needs the goodwill and cooperation of at least 51% of the airlines, because this would require a change in their use agreement. They would be responsible for bond service in excess of PFCs, if the amount collected from PFCs ever goes under $4 million. This process can be harmed, if ill will toward the airlines is fostered.
Jim also fielded some questions about airport finance.
Jim, Michael, and Brian left the meeting at this time.
Discussion of airport funds for noise mitigation continued until the committee agreed that other agenda items should be covered and that this topic could be better addressed at a later meeting after members have had time to look at the RAA annual financial audit.
Some committee meeting notes are still missing from the web site. Committee chairs agreed to check the site for their notes and keep these updated.
Dorn handed out the reports that were sent from the Study Group to LFA on noise abatement and on noise mitigation. Most members had not seen the report on noise mitigation and so we decided to take time to read it and make it an agenda item at our next meeting.
Dorn pointed that the "Common Elements" that are recommended to be part of each of the "Principal Alternatives" are listed before the three alternatives because these elements are important.
Marnie was concerned that one of the measures that the Study Group "deferred or dropped" because they "could not achieve consensus to pursue," was noise-based variable landing fees. After much discussion between Marnie and the other members of the committee, it was decided that a subcommittee could be formed to look at this issue, so that it did not appear that it was "being swept under a rug, because some people didn’t want it to be considered."
Time did not permit other business to be brought to the committee. Joe and Dorn had wanted to discuss an outline of suggested responsibilities for a noise officer. This topic, which Jim DeLong will propose to the RAA soon, should be on the agenda at our next meeting.
The next meeting was set for Monday, March 13 at 6:30 at the RAA Board Room.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40.