05/09/2023

Meeting Minutes for:
May Board Meeting
Yuma International Airport, Conference Room
Tuesday, May 09, 2023 at 04:00 PM

    Call to Order:
    CALL TO ORDER
    The Yuma County Airport Authority, Inc. (YCAA) Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors was called to order at 4:00PM on May 9, 2023, in the Yuma International Airport Conference Room, 2191 E. 32nd Street, Suite 218, Yuma, Arizona 85365. The Presiding officer was Bill Craft, President.

    YCAA DIRECTORS PRESENT WERE:
    Bill Craft, President
    Russell Jones, 2nd Vice President
    Eric Saltzer, Secretary
    Reetika Dhawan, Director
    William Fox, Director
    Albert Gardner, Director
    Ken Scott, Director
    Jenny Torres, Director

    YCAA DIRECTORS ABSENT WERE:
    Dean Hager, 1st Vice President
    Stanley Gourley, Treasurer
    Juan Guzman, Director

    ALSO PRESENT WERE:
    Gladys Brown, Airport Director
    Gerald Hinkle, Jr., Chief Financial Officer
    Andrea Lopez, Executive Assistant
    Maj Troy Rees, USMC, Assistant Operations Officer
    Silvia Gunderman, 1st Bank Yuma
    Ryan Hart, Million Air Yuma

    CALL TO THE PUBLIC
    There were no Public Comments.

    APPROVAL OF MINUTES
    Mr. Craft, the YCAA President, called for a motion to approve the minutes of the April 11, 2023, Regular Board Meeting. Mr. Scott so moved. Ms. Dhawan seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

    Votes in Favor:
    Mr. Craft
    Mr. Jones
    Mr. Saltzer
    Ms. Dhawan
    Mr. Fox
    Mr. Gardner
    Mr. Scott
    Ms. Torres

    Votes Opposed: None

    COMMITTEE REPORTS
    1) Finance Committee Chair, Stanley Gourley, will provide a summary of the May 5, 2023, meeting.

    In Mr. Gourley’s absence, Ms. Brown, the Airport Director, provided a brief summary of the May 5, 2023, meeting of the Finance Committee which included a discussion about the overview of FY23 YTD Budget Through March of 2023, the Status of YCAA Capital Reserves, the Airport’s Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP), YCAA’s Upcoming Projects, an Update on other Financial Issues and a recommendation from the Committee that the Board of Directors authorize the Airport Director to decline or return a certain ARPA Concessions grant provided by the FAA.

    1) Discussion and possible action to authorize the YCAA President, Airport Director or their designated representative to sign all necessary documents to decline or return previous grant award designated for concessions relief in the amount of $86,081 under the ARPA, contingent upon final review and approval by Airport Staff and Airport Legal Counsel.

    Ms. Brown provided the Board with additional details regarding FAA Grant AIP-45 which intended to provide reimbursement to the airport for rent relief for its concessionaires. AIP-45 in the amount of $86,081 was executed in January of 2022 but has not been acted upon due to ongoing struggles obtaining reimbursement from another smaller but substantially similar grant.

    Ms. Brown described the difficulties encountered and described additional onerous requirements contained in AIP-45 such as mandatory one-on-one meeting with up to 17 different concessionaires and stipulations making administrative costs, including hiring consultants, ineligible for reimbursement. Ms. Brown continued by describing how other airports have expressed similar difficulties, which appears to have been the catalyst behind a recent written inquiry by the FAA as to whether the YCAA intended to draw down on the grant. This inquiry, which is unexpected fourteen months into a grant with a four-year performance period, also described steps necessary if the airport wishes to decline participation.

    Ms. Brown continued by describing how the Finance Committee recommended the Board authorize the Airport Director take steps necessary to decline or return AIP-45 based on a number of factors including the risk of providing almost $90,000 in rent relief without timely reimbursement, if at all, since rent relief must be provided before requesting reimbursement from the FAA.

    Mr. Craft, the YCAA President, called for a motion to authorize the YCAA President, Airport Director or their designated representative to sign all necessary documents to decline or return a previous grant award designated for concessions relief in the amount of $86,081 under the ARPA, contingent upon final review and approval by Airport Staff and Airport Legal Counsel. Mr. Gardner so moved. Mr. Scott seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

    Votes in Favor:
    Mr. Craft
    Mr. Jones
    Mr. Saltzer
    Ms. Dhawan
    Mr. Fox
    Mr. Gardner
    Mr. Scott
    Ms. Torres

    Votes Opposed: None

    2) Monthly report by Chief Financial Officer on current financial status.

    Mr. Hinkle briefed the Board on our current financial status.

    MILITARY LIAISON
    Maj Troy Rees, USMC, Assistant Operations Officer, provided updates at MCAS Yuma.

    3) Presentation and update regarding current construction projects, associated contracts, grant status, general aviation, marketing efforts, terminal improvements, aviation conferences, meetings, and items of interest with the city and county or other federal or state agencies. This will include, but is not limited to, additional information, FAA and ADOT grant updates, an overview of projects underway, airport operations, Rolle Airfield, airline recruitment and retention efforts, general aviation, future events, and other Airport business.

    Ms. Brown, Airport Director, provided a presentation on the status of airfield operations to include the runways and taxiways, VirTower Reports for Rolle and NYL, Rent Car update, Brewers restaurant update, Parking Lot update, American Airlines updates along with the load capacities and schedule, Hangar Development Meetings, CD Secured Revolving Line of Credit, ADOT Grant Secured Revolving Line of Credit, Status of YCAA Capital Reserves, Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP), YCAA Upcoming Capital Projects, marketing and community outreach over the past month to include social media.

    CALL TO THE PUBLIC
    There were no Public Comments.

    ADJOURNMENT
    There being no further business before the Board the meeting adjourned at 4:44PM.



    // Approved //
    Eric Saltzer
    Secretary, Yuma County Airport Authority; Public Relations Committee Chairman


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