HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-2022 Special Called Airport Authority Meeting MinutesMinutes of Fairhope Airport Authority
Speci a l Meeting
January 19, 2022
The Fa irhope Airport Authorit y met January 19, 2022 at 5:30PM at The Nix Cen t e r
located at 1 Bayou Drive .
Present: Don Lagar d e, Chai r man, Wi ll Bruce, Amy Pearso n, and Vince Boot he.
Chip Grone r, Jack Burrell an d Pel Henry were ab sent. A lso present was Jos h
Myrick, Attorn ey. Cyn t hia A Booth e took the Minutes.
Executive Session: Executive Session under Sect ion 36-25A-7(3), Code of
Alabama to discuss pe n ding lit igation-advice from counsel rega r ding pending
litigation . Josh Myr ick certified the Executive Session to be con d ucted by the
Boa rd of Direct ors of t h e Fairhope Airpo r t Authority in the Special Meeting o n
January 19, 20 22 falls w ithin the pu rposes described in 36-25A-7(3), Ala. Co de
1975, and that the "pending li tiga t ion" exception is appl icable to the planned
d iscussion. A motion was made by Vince Boothe to enter into Executive Session
for the reasons stated above, second by Amy Pearson. A rol l call vote was taken
and Do n Lagarde, Wi ll Bruce, Amy Pearson and Vince Boothe all voted 'Aye'. The
Authority Members moved to Executive Session at 5:35PM for approximately 15
to 20 minutes.
The Airport Autho r ity membe r s retu rned from Executive Session at 6:02PM and
reconvened the meeting wit h a motion by Amy Pearson, second by Vi nce Boothe
and unanimou sly passed.
Revi ew and consideration of st atus of FBO Le ase w ith Cont inental Ae rospac e :
Vince Boothe stat ed t hat t he letter sent by Ski n ne r Law Group, who represents
Continenta l Aerospace statin g t h ey w i ll notify all tenants by letter email should be
sent registered letters stati ng that no tenant need move the ir aircraft before
March 31, 2022.
Will Bruce stated that he felt the letter se nt evicting the tena nts was uncalled for
and agreed with Vince that a registered letter needs to be requ i red to be sent to
all tenants stating they do not have to move before March 31, 2022.
Amy Pearson as k ed about how the evictio ns are connected to the differences
between the Airport Au t hority and Continental Aerospace . Don Lagarde stated
that was a good question and invited the representatives of Continental
Aerospace present at the meeting to comment. Richard Penn i ngton, Director of
Operations for Continental in Mobile and Baldwin Counties, stat ed that they had a
town hal l meeting with the tenants last week and would be having another one
on Friday and they are trying to be very transparent with the tenants but declined
to answer Amy's question .
Don Lagarde asked if there were any other comments or discussion and Richard
Pennington stated that he wanted to re i nforce w hat he said in October that they
have new lea d ership and Cont in enta l is committed to their customers, their team,
The City of Fairhope and to the Airport Authority to find solutions . They want to
fulfil l the obligations of their lease and look forward to the opportunity of sitting
down with the Authority and having conversation and map that out.
Jonathan Maples, one of the lawyers for Continental, stated that he agrees with
Richard that they have an interest in resolving things, but that is al l he is
authorized to spea k about at this time. He declined to answer questions from the
Authority members. Attorney Brad Hicks, representing the Authority, asked if the
modification to the letter asking that Continenta l send a registered letter to a ll
tenants stating they do have to move t heir aircraft before March 31, 2022 cou ld
be accepted and Mr. Map les stated that he could not accept t his modification at
this time and invited the Authority to make a counter proposal with that
modification .
Vince Boothe made a motion to accept the letter of January 18, 2022 outlining
specific terms of negotiation and retraction of their letter to their tenants of
eviction until March 31 , 2022 and ask our attorneys to get with them and ask that
the tenants are notified by registered ma i l and email, second by Wi ll Bruce and
unanimously passed.
Discussion of potential options and logistical matters for FBO operation: Vince
Boothe stated that the Authority needs to be prepared to move forward with
plan s in place and needs to start discussion s shou ld the Authority have to take
over operations at the Ai r port. Don Lagarde stated that the Authority needs to
appoint a committee to start making plans necessary for the Authority to take
over operations if necessary and suggested that Vince Boothe and Chip Groner
make up this committee. Wi ll Bruce made a motion to appoint Vince Boothe and
Chip Groner to the committee to make plans for operations at the Airport should
it become necessary for the Authority to take over those operations, second by
Amy Pearson and unanimously passed.
Comments from the public: Francis Ripp asked why there would be two FBOs at
the Airport, when did it first come up and did anyone on the Authority or Counc il
talk to anyone about taking over the FBO should Continental leave .
Don Lagarde stated that in Decembers 2020 while meeting with Continental that
they stated that they were considering getting out of the FBO business and
hangar business which concerned the Authority members . He also stated that the
Mayor and Jack Burrell, who is a City Councilman and on the Airport Authority
and Councilman Corey Martin are aware of it, but he has not talked to the other
Council members.
Mr Ripp then asked why the Airport meetings are no longer recorded. He was
told it was because of the overtime that would have to be paid to record it.
Don Lagarde stated that was a Mayoral decision and he would need to speak with
the Mayor's Office.
A motion was made by Amy Pearson to adjourn, second by Will Bruce and
unanimous ly passed .
Don Lagarde, Chairman
Submitted by Cynthia A Boothe