The Seymour Municipal Airport Authority board met Tuesday for its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at the airport terminal.
During a review of rents, one discussion that had been tabled during an earlier board meeting involved the rent for the Humane Society of Jackson County, which pays a $1 a year for the use of a little more than an acre of ground at the airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration is now requiring the board to raise the rent to fair market value, board President Brian Thompson said. That would be $3,241.41 a year.
The airport authority’s Administrative Assistant Victoria Taylor said she created a five-year payment plan for the humane society instead of the three-year cycle that Humane Society, which is a nonprofit, has been on in the past “to avoid such a shock.”
“We wanted it to be the least detrimental as possible,” airport Manager Colin Smith said. “So, it could’ve been three, but personally, five would’ve definitely been a little bit easier, more achievable.”
The airport authority plans to raise the rent $648.28 a year over the course of five years until it reaches the fair market value of $3,241.41.
“The FAA has a general blanket charge on airport authority to receive fair market value for all of their assets,” Thompson said.
He said they are trying to find a balance between the two extremes; $1 and $3,241.41.
Taking an incremental approach seemed best, but what they still need is communication with the humane society, he said.
Taylor said she sent two letters to the humane society, but at this time, they had received no responses.
Due to this lack of communication, the board decided to table the issue again until the June 17 meeting as they work on getting a direct response, preferably face-to-face or over the phone, as board member Scott Davis suggested.
The Tribune also reached out to the humane society for comment, but could not be reached.
During the April meeting, the implementation of fuel flowage fee was discussed. During Monday’s meeting, the board passed first reading of an ordinance establishing a $0.05 per gallon fuel flowage fee. The board discussed how they will be sending letters to those on the industrial side and all tenants.
Smith reported that during a recent two-week period, their jet fuel truck had done spectacularly, having almost 5,000 gallons pumped out of it.
Along with that, he also said the airport has saved a lot of money thanks to a new process involving the sealing of crack on pavement. In the past, they have spent up to $60,000 on contracting people to buy the product and work using their tools.
Now, they have found a company that will let the airport buy pallets of material and train airport staff how to use the equipment, rent-free. For two pallets of material, they have spent only $6,000.
The authority board meets at 7:15 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month at the Freeman Municipal Airport, 1025 A Ave.