Airport seeking new manager to start Jan. 1, moves along with projects
Nov. 17—DANVILLE — The Vermilion Regional Airport Authority Board of Commissioners met for a regular meeting Tuesday with one fewer board member.
Board member Joe Vincent has resigned. Current board members are Jonathan Myers, Steve Foster, Craig Davidson and Gardner Peck.
There are "Fire the Airport Board" signs posted in the community, following the way it handled suspending former airport manager Alex Gale. Gale resigned.
The board on Tuesday approved starting the search for a new airport manager with an approximate start date of Jan. 1, 2023. The timeline is subject to change.
The updated job description posting has applications, resumes and letters of recommendation due Dec. 11. Requirements include a bachelor's degree, three or more years as an airport manager or comparable management experience and ability to perform duties outlined in Vermilion Regional Airport Authority airport manager job description. Knowledge of state and federal aviation regulations is a plus, and salary range will be based upon qualifications and experience. Airport officials are conducting an average salary survey.
The board heard from former commissioner Bill Ingram about the board doing a good job and getting more done than past boards.
"If you're on a board, you always have problems," he said. "We have a fine board ... and they make good decisions, and the airport is the better for it."
Another resident and pilot asked the board not to further "screw up" the airport; and stated the last two airport managers who were doing a good job were both pushed out. A good manager needs to stay at the airport.
"I'm tired of this," said pilot Jeff Williams.
In action items, the board rejected skid steer bids with it saying the airport has enough snowplow removal trucks and equipment and could spend the money elsewhere; and approved a 2022 tax levy ordinance.
The airport's levy is $553,750, with a tax rate of .08 per $100 equalized assessed valuation.
Board Chairman Myers said it's a 26 percent reduction since 2017 for those who have paid the taxes, with more property owners now paying by including the extra property through the legal disconnections that had occur since 1946. Reconnecting those lowered the taxes for those who had been paying it and put new taxpayers on the rolls, of the townships that serve the airport.
The airport's five-year total tax levy increase is 7 percent or 1.52 percent annual increase, "which I think is pretty modest compared to inflation, in my opinion," Myers said.
He said they are levying no dollars for salaries and benefits, legal, accounting, office equipment, maintenance, postage, printing, fuels, tools, janitor supplies, uniforms, telephone, electric, heating, garbage disposal, water, sewage service, advertising, special events and landside maintenance. They are levying $20,000 for vehicle and equipment maintenance, $79,000 for airside maintenance, $50,055 for hanger building maintenance, $269,000 for equipment and operations expense, $24,000 to employee's IMRF, $13,000 to FICA, $18,000 CPA services and additional amounts for insurance.
The board also approved a farm lease bid specification, hay agreement, new banking signers, glider club lease renewal and 2023 board meeting dates.
The board heard a manager report from interim manager Rod Hightower about updated safety and security and other airport plans.
The airport received grants for two projects through the Rebuild Illinois Program — $500,000 for upgrading the airport's security gates and replacing fencing, and $350,000 for repaving the two entrance roads.
Pre-design meetings on those projects will be on Dec. 6.
The board discussed a phase 1 taxiway project complication, that will cost the airport about $200,000 to $250,000 for a temporary connector.
