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Backup Documents 04/23/2013 Item #10F Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: T Lew 1s BCC Meeting Date: tki2_3(13 Agenda Item# (0F From: EarlHall62 @aol.com Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:59: 13 -0500 Subject: Collier County Airport Authority To: fletcherflying @hotmail.com; cdb802 @me.com; macquistan @mac.com (Sent to each of BCC) Dear Commissioner, As a resident and tax payer in Collier County since 1954 I have gave concerns regarding the new administration of the Collier county Airport authority. I have stored an airplane at Immokalee airport since 1986 and leased hangar 2A for the past 20 years. Unfortunately due to the newly enforced regulations, yearly increase in hangar fees and constant rise in price of fuel I terminated my lease December 2010. I am retired military and draw Social Security. Due to the Presidents declaration that there has not been an increase in the cost of living for the past two years, I have not received a cost of living increase in my checks for two years. I don't believe the administration of the Airport Authority understands the severity of the recession that we all face at this time. In regards to the above statement (newly enforced regulations): I received a letter from the Authority in December that I would no longer be permitted to store any airplane parts or perform maintenance on the aircraft while in the hangar. This I considered to be totally unreasonable and something I unable to live with. I have moved my plane to the Labelle airport in Hendry County where the price of the hangar rent is lower and fuel is forty cents less than Immokalee airport. And best of all, the hangars are electrically operated, maintained beautifully and the airport personnel are reasonable and willing to help in any way. Nothing would please me more than to have this situation corrected so that I could relocate my aircraft back to Collier County. If I can be of any assistance in correcting this situation, please don't hesitate to contact me. James E. Hall 216 Viking Way Naples, FL 239-298-6318 Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: ' . . T: A.X5 BCC Meeting Date: 4(23f(3 Agenda Item# toF November 1,2011 To Whom it May Concern: My Name is James Kenney and I was the Airport Manager at Immokalee Airport from August,2006 to July,2010.Upon assuming the duties of Airport Manager at IMM in 2006, I was briefed by the then acting Airport Manager,Mr.Bob Tweedie,who I believe is still employed by the Collier County Airport Authority,that as a result of Mr. Fletchers unique Crop Dusting and Aerial Firefighting operational requirements Mr Tweedie had given Fletcher Flying Service permission to use the grass runways located at Immokalee Airport over the several years he had acted as Airport Manager prior to my arrival in August,2006.As a result of this information supplied to me by Mr.Tweedie,and determining that Mr. Fletcher's operations utilizing the grass areas mentioned below did not adversely effect safe operations at the airport, I extended the same permissions to operate as those previously in place prior to my arrival. Those runways are located in the following locations: - On the south end of the airport in line with the extended centerline of Runway 36-18 - On the west side of the airport parallel to Runway 36-18 Additionally,and consistent with Fletcher Flying Service Part 137 certificate,I gave Fletcher Flying Service permission to deviate from the standard traffic patterns at the Immokalee Airport. /JO V 070 Jame Kenney -Former an ,Immokalee Airport,2006-2010 Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: l . ujt.5 BCC Meeting Date: Li(23(1. Agenda Item# 10F From: Dylan Caldwell <macquistan@mac.com> Date: December 10, 2010 5:48:03 PM EST To: letters @ naplesnews.com Subject: Letter to the Editor re: the Collier County Airport Authority To the Editor, What's wrong with the Collier County Airport Authority? In these slow economic times with greatly decreased county revenues, why does the CCAA have such an inordinately large staff when it certainly doesn't have the volume of air traffic or tenants to Justify it? Why is it spending $704,000 this year for 15 employees at three airports which includes $130,000 for Chris Curry, the Executive Director, $84,000 for Bob Tweedie, the manager of Marco and Everglades, and $61,000 for Thomas Vergo, the manager of immokalee ( who also has a county vehicle). All three airports are uncontrolled, meaning they aren't busy enough to have a control tower. As of 9/30/10 according to the CCAA, there were 71 planes based at the three airports and there were reportedly no empty hangers. Two of the supposedly occupied hangers at Immokalee are in fact filled with airport equipment, including a $25,000 lawn mower used to mow 40 degree hills (why is this needed in Florida?). Moreover, in the past month at least four tenants at Immokalee have given notice that they are leaving the airport (three have acquired hangers in LaBelle). In comparison Hendry County has two airports, LaBelle Municipal and Airglades Airport in Clewiston, both of which are managed by only one employee, Tommy Vaughn who makes $32,000 a year. There are 120 airplanes based at the two airports and all the hangers are full at LaBelle (I'm not sure about Clewiston). According to the FAA Form 5010, the Hendry County and Collier airports in total have about the same number of flight operations per day. The two county systems also have the same wholesale fuel supplier, The Hiller Group based in Tampa. According to Chris Curry at last month's Airport Advisory Board meeting in Everglades City, both counties pay the same for their wholesale fuel prices. However, the Hendry airports have some of the lowest fuel prices in the area. Moreover, they are profitable! How can this be true? It's simple. The Hendry County Board of tor `OM Gf Commissioners chose to keep their costs low and make their airports competitive in the open market place. When will the Collier County Board of Commissioners choose to do the same with the CCAA? Respectfully, Dylan Caldwell, MD 4160 6th Ave. SE Naples, FL 34117 239-537-2019 Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: T L2u7c5 BCC Meeting Date: cth_3([3 Agenda Item# (OF From: FJSkyflyer @aol.com To: DonnaFiala @colliergov.net, GeorgiaHiller @colliergov.net, TomHenning @colliergov.net, FredCoyle @colliergov.net, JimColetta @colliergov.net, fjskyflyer @aol.com Sent: 11/10/2011 2:30:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: OPERATIONS AT IMM Dear Ladies & Gentlemen of the Collier County Commission: I was appalled to learn of the new rule banning landing on the grass runways at Immokalee Airport. I cannot understand how "anyone," with a smidgen of aeronautical knowledge could make such a decision. As an enthusiast for vintage aircraft, I owned and flew an Aeronca 7AC Champ for decades. It was part of our week-end for myself and others to fly over to Immokalee to visit with friends, have lunch, and purchase fuel. We "always," landed on grass paralleling the hard-surface runways. My Champ was built in the 1940s when hard- surface runways were scarce. The Aeronca's conventional landing gear, (tail dragger), was "specifically," designed for soft- field landings, ie: grass runways; as were the Cessnas C-170 and C180 my friends flew, gliders, and a litany of other aircraft, all specifically designed and built for off-field or soft-field landings. Was there a reason we chose grass over the hard- surface runways? Of course! There are safety reasons: landing on grass provides better braking, shorter ground rolls, and reduces the likelihood of ground looping for which tail draggers are so well known to do; particularity in the hands of a less skilled pilot. As a Certified Flight Instructor, for more years than I like to remember, I often sent students on their 3 leg cross country flights to Okeechobee, then to Immokalee for lunch and fuel. Apparently, since whomsoever you have running your Immokalee Airport seems so determined to run off any commerce or revenue, modest though ours may be, we are more than happy accommodate and go elsewhere. I remain, Sincerely yours, FREDRICK T. JOSS Attorney-at-Law FAA DPE ret. ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: T L,ew.s BCC Meeting Date: U123((3 Agenda Item# (0e. From: Dylan Caldwell <macquistan @mac.com> Date: January 12, 2011 6:55:16 PM EST To: Georgia Hiller <GeorgiaHiller@colliergov.net> Subject: Everglades Soaring Club moving to LaBelle Dear Commissioner Hiller, This week our soaring club voted to relocate from Immokalee Regional Airport to LaBelle Municipal. We are the latest in a growing list of Immokalee tenants who have chosen to go elsewhere. While the recently proposed rate increases are a consideration, they are the lessor of our concerns. Rather, it is the apparent gross ignorance of basic aviation knowledge and the contemptuous attitude displayed by the new CCAA management that has prompted us to leave. We have seen their lack of professionalism in dealings with the larger tenants at the airport and we have chosen not to allow ourselves to be subject to such incompetence and mistreatment. While it may seem easy to dismiss our concerns as being those of malcontents, you would be wise to do otherwise. Amongst our ranks of those leaving are a retired two star US Navy admiral, who flew combat duty in Vietnam, and a retired US National Guard colonel. These men are anything but whiners. Therefore, you should be asking yourself what is happening in our county's airports. We have tried to inform and educate the BCC, but our efforts have been met with disdain. Therefore, our only option is to move. We are fortunate in that this is a viable alternative for us. Sadly, this is not the case for the larger tenants at Immokalee who are subject to the continued abuse of the Collier County Airport Authority. Respectfully, Dylan Caldwell, MD, Everglades Soaring Club Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: T LpuiI6 BCC Meeting Date: (.4z31(3 Agenda Item# (0 F From: vconlyl @hotmail.com To: georgiahiller @colliergov.net; tomhenning @colliergov.net; fredcoyle @colliergov.net; jimcoletta @colliergov.net; donnafiala @colliergov.net Subject: Immokalee Airport Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2011 08:25:04 -0500 Collier County Commissioners I would like to tell you a little about history of grass airport operations and the Immokalee airport and about my self. Myself I started going to Immokalee public schools starting in the 4 th grade, I graduated from Immokalee High School in 1988. In 1984 we placed a training airplane at the Immokalee airport and I trained from local instructors of which one of them was born and raised on the Roberts Ranch right there in Immokalee. Another was Mr. Joe Brown, he probably was a permanent fixture at the Immokalee airport after WW2. We used several areas of the grass and all 3 of the paved runways. At that time the AG pilots used the grass area just to the south of the beginning of the paved section of runway 36. Two of those AG pilots were Mr. Steve Fletcher and another pilot that still works with Mr. Fletcher. If you look at your own Property Appraisers web site and pull up pictures of the Immokalee Airport you can see where grass operations were conducted. They were conducted in several places. The first airplane in history (Wright Brothers) used a sand runway, after that grass fields were used, then improved grass runways were constructed and as we were ushered into the Jet age and heavier aircraft were built paved runways were constructed. All of the previous runway types are still used through out the United States and though out the World. I have personally landed on roads, cow pastures, tomato fields, gravel runways, small municipal airports and large International airports in several country's and all over the United States. All legal and legitament. It is my understanding that Mr. Vergo your Immokalee Airport manger told you at your last Commissioner meeting that he has never seen grass operations at Immokalee. He needs to get out of the office. I see that he has a pilot certificate albeit his last medical certificate was issued in 2007 so he either does not fly or is flying without the required certificate. It may be that most of the grass operations that were happening stopped when you had a mass of your customers leave the negative Immokalee airport environment and move to Labelle. At Labelle we have both the airport management and the Hendry County Board of Commissioners "voted" blessing of continued grass operations. If you allow the current course of Airport direction from your large Airport Staff to continue you will lose more customers. We like your customers here in Labelle. They spend money on Fuel, Aircraft maintenance, hangers, lunch at local restraints 4ti1l5d and use the local hardware store. All while paying an extra penny in sales tax. This is business that you have lost. I realize that you have 3 airports to manage. All 3 are as different as they can possibly be and require a different management style. You could start with management that has personal small business experience and has had the responsibility of signing the front of checks that he or she is personally responsible for the funds. If you want your airports to grow backwards keep the present course, we will take care of your customers in Labelle. If you want to fix the problem that your staff has created start listening to the people that provide the TAX money that you spend, and I don't mean the people that give you those grants that seem to grow on a tree. In fact if you cause Mr. Fletcher to go elsewhere who will fertilize that tree. It does not happen on its own. Thank You Vernon Conly Vernon Conly Vernon Conly Air Service 225 E Cowboy Way Labelle, Fl. 33935 239-872-9687 863-674- 0130 FAX www.vernair.net Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: -T. Lewt5 BCC Meeting Date: 1 73(13 Agenda Item# (OF Hi Tracey, Dylan Caldwell said you were doing some research on the problem within Collier County and our three airports. As you may know, I own a small 2-place airplane (RV-6) and lease hangar #7 at the Everglades Airpark. I had been on the waiting list for several years, and once the new hangars were finally finished, was fortunate enough to get the second-to-last hangar for my airplane. It was a long wait. I am also a retired United Airlines Pilot (B-777) with nearly 33 years of seniority with them. To say I am disgusted with the current approach regarding "profitability" of our 3 airports under the direction of the new Executive Director, with marching orders from the County Board of Supervisors, is an understatement. I wrote the following which may help explain my disgust. After reading the latest "new fee structure" for the 3 Collier County airports, I am prompted to voice my concerns. These "New Fees" for 2011 are in reality just more TAXES for the already fragile General Aviation industry. You and I are required to balance our personal financial lives through expense reduction and common-sense changes to our lifestyles when it comes to our family balance sheets. However, it seems all government, whether local, state or national, is exempt from this long-proven policy of rational human behavior. The recent election in November was proof that the citizens/taxpayers of this grand Country had had ENOUGH of TAX & SPEND. Some sense of rationality may be beginning at the highest levels of our National $ q\t4) Government. However, I wonder when, at the local level here in Collier County, these "Managers" will get the message that COST REDUCTION versus TAX INCREASES is the moral and ethical approach of dealing with all the red ink. Apparently, these "Managers" were on `vacation' the past 2 years leading up to our National Election in November; and DIDN'T GET THE MEMO. How about some Management-Types that DO UNDERSTAND the meaning of FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY here in Collier County; specifically the Executive Director, his many subordinates, and the County Board of Supervisors to which he is beholden to? A good start might be the novel concept of hiring people that are pilots first, aviation -minded and local in nature that have the background and hands-on experience of understanding Collier County aviation. Good luck to us all. We are going to need it since REASON still fails to prevail here in Collier County. Sadly, the long-term future of our 3 airports and South Florida General Aviation are at stake; the present powers fail to see the forest for the trees. Sincerely, Tim Campbell Retired UAL B-777 Captain Aircraft Owner and Hangar Rental Customer Everglades Airpark, Everglades City, FL 11115A kyf adentac@comcastnet Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: V. Los BCC Meeting Date: 4/230 Agenda Item# to F From: EarlHall62 @aol.com Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:10:25 -0500 Subject: Airport To: fletcherflying @hotmail.com Mr. Fletcher, As I understand, you as well as several other tenants, have serious concerns regarding the way that the Collier County Airport Authority manages the Airport in Immokalee. Believe me, I share your concern. I have stored an airplane at Immokalee airport since 1986 and leased hangar 2A for the past 20 years. Unfortunately due to the newly enforced regulations, yearly increase in hangar fees and constant rise in price of fuel I terminated my lease December 2010. I am retired military and draw Social Security. Due to the Presidents declaration that there has not been an increase in the cost of living for the past two years, I have not received a cost of living increase in my checks for two years. I don't believe the Airport Authority understands the severity of the recession that we all face at this time. In regards to the above statement (newly enforced regulations): I received a letter from the Authority in December that I would no longer be permitted store any airplane parts or perform maintenance on the aircraft while in the hangar. This I considered to be totally unreasonable and something I could not live with. I have moved my plane to the Labelle airport where the price of the hangar rent is lower and fuel is forty cents less than Immokalee airport. And best of all, the hangars are electrically operated, maintained beautifully and the airport personnel are reasonable and willing to help in any way. If I can be of any assistance in correcting this situation, please don't hesitate to contact me. James E. Hall 216 Viking Way Naples, FL 239-298-6318 Submitted into BCC Record by Court Reporter: T. (tuns BCC Meeting Date: 4/231(3 Agenda Item# (op To: FletcherFlying @Hotmail.com Subject: Safety Reference for Fletcher Flying Service From: naplescfi @aol.com Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2011 08:42:01 -0400 Dear Fletcher Flying Service: The purpose of my email today is to express our appreciation for your continued emphasis on safety and cooperation during your flight operations at Immokalee airport. I am a full time flight instructor out of Naples, Florida, and for more than 3 years I have personally exchanged radio calls, and have observed your pilots and aircraft in the pattern at Immokalee Airport during your spraying operations. Since we conduct many flights a day in and out of Immokalee Airport, our flight paths cross often, and we typically see one of your Air Tractors either departing or arriving back from spraying. At no time have I ever observed, or experienced one of your aircraft creating a hazard for others in and around the airport, nor have I seen any of your pilots being inconsiderate to arriving or departing traffic. In fact, I have always observed consideration extended especially when I have a student soloing, or if we are remaining in the pattern there at Immokalee. Your pilots are always making extensive radio calls, identifying positions, and in one case I personally witnessed, one of your pilots called traffic for another aircraft, helping to avoid a possible accident. Please extend my appreciation to your pilots for their continued efforts to honor our aviation profession. Sincerely, Al Russo, CFI! RexAir Flight School Naples, Florida 239-233-3700 Submitted into BCC Record , by Court Reporter: 7 (.21016 BCC Meeting Date: 4/ r3 Agenda Item# tOF From: Buddy Whitney <bwhitney204 @comcast.net> Date: November 8, 2011 15:54:44 EST To: DonnaFiala©colliegov.net, GeorgiaHiiler@colliergov.net, TomHenning @colliergov.net, FredCoyle @colliergov.net, iimColetta@colliergov.net Cc: letters@naplesnews.com Subject: [evergladessoaring] IMM airport Reply-To: evergladessoaring @yahoogroups.com Dear County Commissioners, The behavior of Thomas Vergo and Chris Curry with regards to the operations of IMM airport are very difficult to comprehend. Steve Fletcher has been the life blood of that airport in the middle of our rich agriculture community where he and his staff have been providing a valuable service to both agriculture and fire control for all of SW Florida for many years. Steve is the one of the most knowledgeable aviation professionals in all of Florida. Mr. Fletcher is being harassed to the point that he will probably relocate to protect his business and customers but it will come as a higher price to his clientele and I am sure he will leave Collier County if he does move. John Swasey has been an important business man operating his repair and aircraft services at IMM for many years. John started High Soaring many years ago and without his vision many Collier county residents would not be flying gliders today, and I am one of those and can attest to his contributions to our county. Thomas Vergo claims he has never seen any aircraft operating on the grass strip there. Before we were forced to move our glider and towing operation to Labelle because of Chris Curry we landed and departed on the IMM grass strip for years and had thousands of operations off the grass there. Mr. Vergo is lying about the grass not being used during his time at the airport. toP Now by banning the use of grass for landing and departure Mr. Swasey must close down his glider operation and eliminate his Glider from his inventory of aircraft. Please tell me why you allow Chris Curry to run business away from Collier County, especially in these difficult times. You have all been advised many times about the misinformation you are being fed by Chris Curry and the damage he is doing. This is no longer a blame we will lay at the feet of Curry it's now up to you to act in a professional manner to correct these wrong doings and damages being done to business and individuals in our county. Boyd Whitney 1420 Caxambas Court Marco Island FL 34145 Reply to sender I Reply to group l Reply via web post I Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) RECENT ACTIVITY: Visit Your Group MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now. ;, GROUPS Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use Submitted into BCC Record , by Court Reporter: 7 L W(5 BCC Meeting Date: Ujz3(t3 Agenda Item# (op From: Dylan Caldwell <macquistan @ mac.com> Date: November 4, 2010 5:40:34 PM EDT To: teilmet@news-press.com Subject: Problems in the Collier County Airport Authority Dear Ms. Payne, We are writing to you because of the excellent story you and Ms Re your attention budget and salary irregularities within the Collier Cc does seem to be an unnecessarily large staff, some of whom earn hi volume seen by the Authority's three airports. The issue came to ou have some of the highest fuel costs in the area. Though, this is not e problem for my colleague, Steve Fletcher, who owns and operates F Because his planes are large turbines and he is the primary agricult increases in fuel costs can have a huge affect his business. However, Immokalee's high fuel costs are also a big problem for th runways that are perpendicular to each other which makes it an ide activity. Furthermore, given its distance from the east coast and Tai should be a prime cross country destination for both private and sti deserted. We feel that the fundamental problem is the high cost of online before they go flying. Moreover, many of the more advanced the nearby airports. You can perform search for fuel prices yourself by going to Airnay.1 1 suggest using the zip code for Immokalee, which is 34142, and self prices are considerably higher than many of the local airports. This miles away. I used Airnav this morning and found Immokalee's pric were $3.80 for 10011 assisted service (essentially self service) and $ difference for Jet A. Why is there such a big difference in pricing? B1 serve a similar population and are the same distance from any who bulk purchases of $20,000 or more. Their charge is only $.28 above Tommy Vaughn. Because Steve Fletcher buys about $400,000 of Jet , economic times. Fletcher has been attempting to obtain a similar bi though the Airport Advisory Board has passed a resolution In suppo Why then are prices so much higher at Immokalee? We've asked th answer we've been given by Deborah Mueller, the accounting super Authority's operating costs. We could not discern any justifiable re€ airport systems. According to the airport information for both airpc than Immokalee, (46 vs 21) and there are more aircraft operations I one person, the airport manager Tommy Vaughn, Jr., while Immoka three maintenance techs. Moreover, Tommy Vaughn also manages Clewiston. That airport has 25 aircraft based there and has 32 opera Island and Everglades City. The Marco Island Airport, has only 21 al manager and at least three maintenance specialists. Everglades Cit airport manager for the 7 planes based there and titsl3 operations director, the accounting supervisor, the operations coordinator and according to our best estimation, 14 employees at three airports fo Yet, Hendry County has one employee for two airports, 71 planes ar There is also a huge discrepancy in the salaries paid by the two aul year. Surely, his salary seems far to low for all that his responsibilii County employees' salaries shows that many of the maintenance to year. with most being between $32,000-$46,000. The former manag termination this spring (there Is much more to that story as well if l Everglades City has a yearly salary of $80,928. Finally, there Is the i Curry, who makes $130,000 a year. It's hard to understand why he r times the planes and traffic. Furthermore, consider the Lee County Field. Southwest Regional is a very busy airport with heavy jet trafi customs, etc. Likewise, Page Field has 229 aircraft based there and operations a day. The executive director of the Lee County Port Autl Chris Curry makes. Yet, Mr. Ball's operations are five times greater managed by Collier County. The fundamental question is why does the Collier County Airport At such a small population of planes and pilots? If this is a story that y anytime. Respectfully, of \t) Steve Fletcher, Fletcher Flying Service 239-860-2028 fietcherflying @hotmail.com Dylan Caldwell, MD Everglades Soaring Club 239-537-2318 macquistan @mac.com