18 - Airport Advisory Board AmendmentsNo. 18
TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem & City Council
FROM: Grayson Path, City Manager
Rob Vine, Assistant City Manager
Paul Strahan, Airport Manager
SUBJECT: Airport Advisory Board
Resolution
DATE: February 28, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On January 12, 1970, the City Council via Resolution No. 1354 established an Airport Advisory
Board to act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in relation to the Municipal Airport and
its operations and facilities. From 1973 to 2002, there were six separate resolutions changing the
number of members. The Airport Advisory Board is not mentioned in the City of Paris Municipal
Code of Ordinances. The City Council did, however, create City Code Article 10.04 with general
regulations for the City of Paris Cox Field Airport, specifically Section 10.04.003 creating an
Airport Manager and 10.04.004 entitled "Authority of Airport Manager" which states:
"The Airport Manager is hereby vested with authority to do any and all things necessary
in policing Cox Field Airport, to provide for the safety of aircraft and persons using or in
the vicinity thereof, and with full authority to see that all airport rules and regulations and
traffic and taxi rules are enforced. "
For the majority of the past twenty or more years, the City has contracted out a third party entity
to serve as its Airport Manager and Fixed Based Operator (FBO). However, recognizing a need
to take more direct ownership of the Airport, and with the announcement of the then -contracted
third party's retirement, the City Council determined the next wise step was to bring this service
back under the City Manager to be overseen and operated directly as with other municipal
departments. To accomplish this, the City Council authorized and ultimately approved the hiring
of a new full-time employed position to serve as the City's Airport Manager and FBO, which
occurred with the hiring of Mr. Paul Strahan via Resolution 2021-034 on October 11, 2021. Mr.
Strahan has done an outstanding job taking over operations. His work comes hand in hand with
other city staff to address topics of delinquency, hangar development, taxiway expansion, fuel
sales, marketing, etc. We are still young in our efforts, but we have already seen a tremendous
start with an exciting future on the near horizon.
During this time, after communicating with the Airport Advisory Board, City Staff, Mayor Paula
Portugal, Mayor Pro Tem Reginald Hughes, and Airport Advisory Board Liaison Council Member
Linda Knox, the decision was made to postpone further Airport Advisory Board meetings until a
document could be prepared that established the roles of the City Manager, Airport Manager, and
the Airport Advisory Board.
STATUS OF ISSUE:
After closely examining the role and authority vested in the City Manager and Airport Manager in
the City's Charter and Code of Ordinances, reviewing samples from other communities, and after
consulting and seeking guidance from Mayor Paula Portugal, Mayor Pro Tem Reginald Hughes,
and Airport Advisory Board Liaison Council Member Linda Knox, we have prepared the attached
Resolution which we believe will clearly establish the appropriate roles of the Airport Advisory
Board and the City Staff in regards to the airport. We believe that the role of "advisory" needs to
be more clearly defined to prevent misunderstanding and to set appropriate expectations. In
addition, with the change to an employed Airport Manager, we believe that the previous role of
the Airport Advisory Board as serving in an advisory capacity to the City Council has served its
purpose, and now with the shift back towards operation under the City Manager through the
Airport Manager, which is more closely aligned to typical management of all other municipal
departments, the Airport Advisory Board's role can be more clearly defined to better suit our
operational and management needs, if the board is to continue to exist.
With this resolution, we will decrease the number of board members from seven (7) to three (3).
To effectively accomplish this, we will hereby dissolve the current board and will select new
members during the City Council's normal board appointments later this summer. To make it
clear as to roles and expectations, the resolution states that "The Airport Advisory Board shall
have no powers or duties other than to serve strictly in an as -needed advisory role to the Airport
Manager..." (Section 6(a)). While some of the roles stated in the Resolution may seem rigid, it is
necessary to have these established by the City Council in order to clearly establish the roles they
expect of management and that of an "advisory" board to prevent miscommunication and
misunderstanding by anyone. This will foster efficiency and effectiveness as the City Manager
and his staff works to manage the airport.
We would like to thank all those who have and are currently serving on the Airport Advisory
Board. The work they have done has helped us get to this point in our evolution at the Airport.
wem
There is minimal to no cost involved with this item.
OPTIONS:
1. Approve the Resolution decreasing the number of members on the Airport Advisory Board
to three (3), establishing the rules and the role of the Airport Advisory Board, and making
other findings and provisions related to the subject.
2. Request additional information, edits, and/or reject the resolution and advise City Staff.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve the Resolution decreasing the number of members on the Airport Advisory Board
to three (3), establishing the rules and the role of the Airport Advisory Board, and making
other findings and provisions related to the subject.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, DECREASING THE NUMBER
OF MEMBERS ON THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD TO THREE (3); ESTABLISHING THE RULES AND
THE ROLE OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS
RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris did heretofore, in Resolution No. 1354 on January
12, 1970, establish an Airport Advisory Board to act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in relation
to the Municipal Airport and its operation and facilities; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris did heretofore change the number of members on
the Airport Advisory Board to five (5) members in Resolution No. 1538 on January 8, 1973, to seven (7)
members in Resolution No. 1646 on November 11, 1974, to five (5) members in Resolution No. 1722 on
December 8, 1975, to seven (7) members in Resolution No. 89-095 on August 14, 1989, to nine (9)
members in Resolution 2001-166 on October 4, 2001, and to seven (7) members in Resolution 2002-174
on December 9, 2002; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris did heretofore on June 14, 2021 authorize the
buyout of the third party contract for Airport Management and Fixed -Based Operator ("FBO") Services
Agreements and directed the City Manager to create and advertise for a new full-time city employee to
serve as a new Airport Manager and FBO; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris did heretofore, in Resolution 2021-034 on October
11, 2021, approve the appointment of a new full-time employed Airport Manager/Fixed Based Operator
as recommended by the City Manager, to serve under the direction of the City Manager or designee; and,
WHEREAS, Article 10.04 of the City of Paris Code of Ordinances provides rules and regulations for
the operation of the City of Paris Cox Field Airport; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 10.04.004 of the City of Paris Code of Ordinances, the Airport
Manager is hereby vested with authority to do any and all things necessary in policing Cox Field Airport,
to provide for the safety of aircraft and persons using or in the vicinity thereof, and with full authority to
see that all airport rules and regulations and traffic and taxi rules are enforced; and,
WHEREAS, the hiring of a full-time employed Airport Manager/FBO ("Airport Manager"), who is
overseen by the City Manager or designee, requires a re-examination of the role of the Airport Advisory
Boa rd;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, THAT:
Section 1. The findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby in all things approved.
Section 2. Unless otherwise stated in this Resolution, the terms and conditions stated in the
Policies and Procedures for Standing Boards, Commissions, and Committees shall apply.
Section 3. Members
(a) The Airport Advisory Board as currently constituted is hereby dissolved.
(b) The Airport Advisory Board shall be and is hereby reduced to three (3) members, each
to serve a term of three (3) years. Two (2) members shall constitute a quorum.
(c) Preference shall be given to applicants who reside within the City limits and who have
aeronautical experience, but no more than two (2) members may have a pilot license.
All applicants must, at a minimum, be a resident of Lamar County.
(d) The Airport Advisory Board shall have no officers.
Section 4. Terms
(a) The terms of office shall be for three (3) years beginning on July 1, 2022; provided
however, that each of the board members appointed after the effective date of this
resolution shall determine, by the drawing of lots, one (1) member whose first term
shall be for one (1) year in duration, one (1) member whose first term shall be for two
(2) years in duration, and one (1) member whose first term shall be for three (3) years
in duration, and the staggered three (3) year terms thereby established shall
thereafter be maintained.
Section 5. Meetings
(a) The Airport Advisory Board shall hold regular quarterly meetings on the third
Thursday of February, May, August, and November, and as -needed as called by the
Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee. Such meetings shall be held at a
place and time as directed by the Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee.
(b) The Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee shall preside at all meetings,
but shall not vote on any matter.
(c) The Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee shall keep meeting minutes on
behalf of the Airport Advisory Board and shall submit them to the City Council once
certified by the Airport Advisory Board at their next regular meeting.
(d) The agenda for each meeting shall only be prepared by the Airport Manager or the
City Manager or designee. No member may place an item on an agenda without the
approval of the Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee.
(e) Posting and running of the meetings shall comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act.
(f) No member may call a meeting without the approval of the Airport Manager or City
Manager or designee.
Section 6. Powers and Duties
(a) The Airport Advisory Board shall have no powers or duties other than to serve strictly
in an as -needed advisory role to the Airport Manager and the City Manager or
designee.
(b) Upon the request of the Airport Manager or City Manager or designee, the Airport
Advisory Board may advise the Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee on
policy matters pertaining to the operation and management of the City of Paris Cox
Field Airport and on other matters relating to the City of Paris Cox Field Airport. Final
authority and approval of policy and other matters shall rest with the Airport
Manager or City Manager or designee.
(c) Members shall direct any and all questions, thoughts and/or concerns by members,
citizens, and/or users of the Airport to the Airport Manager or the City Manager or
designee.
Section 7. That this resolution shall be effective from and after its date of passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 28th day of February, 2022.
Paula Portugal, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney