CAMDEN — By BRADLY GILL
Staff writer
The Camden Airport Commission said goodbye to one member and discussed various leases at the groups Friday meeting.
New member Jerry Franklin - who had a job offer in Shreveport before he accepted his role on the board - tendered his resignation two weeks ago, according to Assistant to the Mayor Amy Perrin.
She also indicated that Franklin was open to helping the board whenever possible and wanted to leave on good terms.
City Attorney Michael Frey told the board that SAU Tech was requesting a renewal on the lease of the welding building at $530 a month with the Airport Commission responsible for maintenance.
The board then countered that it would offer a $500 lease with the college responsible for maintenance on the building. The college had not replied to the offer as of press time.
The prospect of a billboard company erecting more signage around the airport was also discussed, but no official motion was taken.
James Lee Silliman, Executive Director of OPED informed the board that he was authorized the spend up to $5,000 for a survey of airport land.
It was decided that Nix Land Survey, LLC would complete the project at a cost of $9,800.
A potential leasee of the airport terminal hangar was discussed, with a possible Fixed Based Operator.
The airport is looking for a company that will:
• Provide aircraft sales, leasing and charter services
• Provide aircraft rentals and flight instruction
• Provide courtesy car/rental vehicles
• Full-service aircraft refueling
• Hangar administration
• Mowing services
• Normal building maintenance service
• Runway/Taxiway lighting, beacon maintenance
• Seven day per week service
• After hours call-out service
• Liaison with FAA for grant submission and administration
A motion was made to accept bids for the cleanup of the fairgrounds.
The board had earlier heard quotes from Dirtman Inc. at 25,000, at $30,000 from Reynolds Construction, and $48,000 from Ricconi Construction.
The solicitation for bids will appear in a future edition of the Camden News.
The area is still being cleaned by the Fairgrounds committee, at an earlier meeting Ouachita County Fair Board President Nathan Greeley asked the airport commission if the fair board could take the following property to the new location:
• Entry gates
• The ticket booth
• The building described as the education building
• The building described as the commercial building
• The education building
• The building described as the cattle barn
• Signs on all the buildings on the fairgrounds
• A carport located in front of the swine barn
• Picnic tables
• An office building
• A kitchen structure
• Contents of the poultry building
• Contents of the swine show barn and tin, and
• Bleachers
The commission approved the request.