St Johns County Airport Authority

The workshop was convened to review, discuss, and finalize the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 operating budget. Key discussions involved confirming that payroll processing fees were embedded in the budget and receiving a detailed breakdown of the salary line items, including an overtime allocation of $10,000. The Controller confirmed that Florida Retirement System back payments were not captured, and the Chair indicated these would be satisfied through cash reserves. The Board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-05 establishing the millage rate at 0.0000. Subsequently, the updated draft budget, incorporated into Resolution 2025-06, was also approved unanimously. Future discussions will address the Interim Executive Director's contract and the engagement of an executive search firm in the November meeting.

The agenda for this meeting included standard procedural items such as Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, and Agenda Approval, alongside the Executive Director's Report and Business Partner Updates. Key business items involved discussions and potential actions on amending the Meeting Conduct Policy and the Lease Policy, specifically regarding T-Hangar/Box Hangars, including a proposed commercial hangar lease agreement with JaxJets, Inc. for Hangar Unit #8. Updates were provided on ongoing projects such as the T-Hangar Project, a Restaurant Update, the Air Service Conference, the Annual 139 Certification, and the 181 Indian Bend Land Purchase.

The meeting covered several administrative actions, including the approval of the agenda, which incorporated a discussion regarding the North Florida TPO representative appointment (Mario DiPola was appointed) and the decision to address the indemnification policy at a future workshop. Key business discussions included the Cherry Bekaert 2024/2025 Annual Audit presentation, where an unmodified opinion was issued, and the review of the revised Airport Authority Meeting Policy, which clarified public comment procedures and addressed the potential classification of Artificial Intelligence interactions (such as prompts used with ChatGPT) as public records. Business Partner Updates highlighted a $250,000 appropriation secured for the St. Augustine Airport Student Maintenance Training Program and the County's rejected comprehensive plan requiring resubmission. Public comments strongly supported the Interim Executive Director, Courtney Pittman, advocating for his permanent appointment and expressing concerns regarding airport management and financial status.

The meeting agenda included several key business items. Discussions and potential actions involved the Annual Audit Presentation, the Airport Authority Meetings & Conduct Policy (including proposed revisions for officer elections and term limits), the Hangar & Flight School Design Contract with Passero Associates, an update on the T-Hangar Project (Hangars D & E nearing occupancy, B & C change orders pending), Restaurant Patio Rehabilitation (new leasable space design/build), the Restaurant Lease proposal for "Hangar One Bistro", consideration of FDOT Resolution 2019-02 for a Joint Participation Agreement (JPA), and a proposed Property Acquisition at 4749 Casa Cola Way. Operational updates included review of 2018 year-end air traffic volume and fuel volumes for February 2019. The FAA Project Forecast outlined anticipated capital improvement projects through 2025.

Key discussions during the meeting included the approval of previous meeting minutes and the review of the financial report, where questions arose regarding the 'Outside Communications' expense category, particularly concerning the SCASD grant reimbursement, prompting a request for a detailed breakout. The agenda was formally approved. The Executive Director's Report provided updates on fuel sales, ATC operations volume (which was stable year-to-date), occupancy of all hangars, and airline metrics, including record earnings per enplanement from Frontier. Construction updates noted that Taxiway Alpha punch list items were nearing completion, and the Runway 13/31 remarking project was expected to begin in August. The final grant application for the approach lighting system was submitted. Significant time was spent discussing a land acquisition opportunity involving property swaps between the Airport Authority, Flagler Development, and the Water Management District to secure approximately one thousand contiguous acres for potential inland port/logistics use, which was concurred upon to move forward via a nonbinding letter of intent. A preliminary budget discussion highlighted the recommendation to set the TRIM millage rate at zero mills, and detailed projections for operating revenues (leases, fuel, airline operations) and expenses (personnel being reduced by approximately 15 percent) were presented.