2022-08-16 Budget Hearing
Blair Airport Authority Special Meeting
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Agenda Item #1 – The Blair Airport Authority met in special session in the City Council
Chambers on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 6:30 PM. Chairman Johnson called the meeting to
order.
The Chairman publicly stated to all in attendance that a current copy of the Nebraska Open
Meetings Act was available for review and indicated the location of such copy posted in the room
where the meeting was being held. Notice of the meeting was given in advance thereof by
publication in the Enterprise or the Pilot -Tribune as shown by the affidavit of publication filed in
the City Clerk's office. Notice of the meeting was simultaneously given to the members of the
Blair Airport Authority and the agenda is filed in the City Clerk's office. Availability of the agenda
was communicated in the advance notice and in the notice to the Blair Airport Authority of this
meeting. All proceedings hereafter shown were taken while the convened meeting was open to the
attendance of the public.
Agenda Item #2 – Chairman Johnson opened the public hearing for Fiscal year 2022-2023
Budget.
Agenda Items #3, 4 & 5 Public Hearing – City Administrator /Airport Manager Storm
reviewed the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 budget. Storm stated under the state budget act all taxing
entities are required to conduct a public hearing on the budget separate from the regular monthly
meetings to allow all citizens time to speak. He then reviewed the proposed budget. The total
budget resources available consist of $1,840,779.59. Personal and Real Property Tax requirement
is $220,830 with $48,879.91 in unused budget authority for next year. The 2022-2023 levy will be
0.029786 cents which is down from last year’s levy of 0.034538. If the proposed tax requirement
was applied against the valuations from last year, the levy will decrease but this is only an estimate
until the new valuations are received later this week. The final levy will not be determined until
final valuation are received. Storm noted capital construction projects proposed in the budget are
$240,000 for the taxi lane extension with engineering, $330,000 for the Environmental
Assessment, $20,000 for armour coat on north access road, $40,000 for crack sealing, $25,000 for
signs, $15,000 for LED lights for the fuel farm, $70,000 for miscellaneous projects and $250,000
for land purchase to relocate the county road for the runway expansion. Federal funds will pay for
90% of the EA project with $30,000 being the responsibility of the Airport. Staff will be applying
for state grant funds to expand the taxi lane but will be competing against other airports for these
funds. Debt Service is $294,577. Due to an error in meeting publication, the budget will not be
adopted until August 22, 2022, at the regular meeting of the Airport Authority at 7:00 p.m. Board
member Rump asked if there would be any need to issue new bonds. Storm said bonds would need
to be issued when the Authority proceeds with the actual extension of the runway which could be
approximately $500,000. However, by that time, most of the current debt should be paid off so the
Authority would be able to absorb a new project. Rump also asked if the runway project would
affect the levy. Storm stated that increased operation has generated enough dollars to keep the
Authority moving forward from an operational standpoint. Storm stated an increase in hangar rent
will need to be looked at soon, so the Authority does not get behind in rent fees. There were no
comments from the public or in writing. Chairman Johnson closed the public hearing at 6:47 p.m.
Agenda Item #6 – Adjournment – Motion by Dan Hunt, second by Wes Baedke to adjourn
the meeting 6:48 p.m. Board members voted as follows: Wes Baedke: Yea, Dan Hunt: Yea, Dave
Johnson: Yea, Faye Jones: Yea, Marty Rump: Yea. All Board members voted: Yea: 5, Nay: 0.
Chairman Johnson declared the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan Hunt, Secretary
Brenda Wheeler, Recording Secretary