ACTION ITEM:
Attend The Meeting!!
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - 9 AM in Viera | | We encourage all interested parties to attend the Sept. 1 Commission meeting and/or contact the Commissioners, and urge them to support passage of both of these items. The RFP item in particular is likely to attract a lot of attacks as it signifies a milestone in the actual restoration of Valkaria Airport into a safe, usable facility... something that the town council of Grant-Valkaria and other anti-aviation activists (including commissioner Chuck Nelson) has fought viciously, yet unsuccessfully, against. Hearing your reasoned voice of support for fully and quickly implementing the Airport Master Plan's framework, which the Commission unanimously adopted in August 2007, is important! It benefits not just the aviation community but the ENTIRE community in many ways... let's be sure to remind the Commission of that important fact! | | On Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009 the Brevard County Commission is scheduled to hear two items of direct interest to users and supporters of Valkaria Airport during their regular meeting, which starts at 9 AM at the Commission Chambers in Viera.
Agenda Item VII.A.4: "Authorize Advertisement of Request For Proposals (RFP) for Valkaria Airport Engineering Consultant, Appoint Selection Committee, Chair Execution Of Consultant Contract and Pursuit of Grant Funding for Airport Safety Improvements"
First off, the Commission will hear a request from county staff to advertise an RFP (Request For Proposals) seeking an aviation engineering consultant to provide services to implement various improvements adopted by the Commission in the 2007 Airport Master Plan (runway markings, REILS, PAPIs, beacon, etc.) Since Valkaria Airport is now (finally!) eligible to collect AIP funding, now it's time we hire a consultant (God help 'em) to design the many needed upgrades the BOCC approved in 2007, mostly just basic safety items. AIP funding of $150K is 95% FAA money, 4% FDOT, and 1% County. Look for a nasty fight against this one, encouraged by anti-aviation commissioner Chuck Nelson.
Agenda Item VII.E.2: "Request Board of County Commissioners' Approval to Request Attorney General's Opinion Regarding Zoning Jurisdiction at Valkaria Airport"
Also, and this would seem to be a bit less controversial since the bad guys requested it in the first place, Brevard County staff has requested for the County Commission to formally join in with a request for the Florida Attorney General's office to issue an opinion concerning whether Grant-Valkaria has any jurisdiction at the airport. G-V originally requested the AG issue an opinion, however the AG said the County (being the facility's owner) had to agree to join in the request before they would issue an opinion on the matter. County staff is confident that the AG will agree that Florida law establishes that the town has no jurisdiction, including zoning, and recommends that the Board should join the Town and request the AG's opinion. Staff duly notes that that regardless of the AG's ultimate opinion on the matter, federal law clearly invalidates any and all attempts G-V may make to regulate the airport or activity there (More Info).
The full meeting Agenda Reports are posted below for each of these items. These are the documents given to each of the County Commissioners in advance of the meeting for each agenda item, generally containing the executive summary of the item and the supporting documentation.
AOPA Keeps Beating The Drum Of Reality
Also, on August 27, 2009 AOPA published a news article concerning the situation at Grant-Valkaria entitled "Grant-Valkaria can't restrict flight training, FAA says".
Click Below for the BOCC Agenda Reports:
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BOCC Agenda Report for 9/1/09 9 AM meeting - Item VII.A.4 - "Authorize Advertisement of Request For Proposals (RFP) for Valkaria Airport Engineering Consultant, Appoint Selection Committee, Chair Execution Of Consultant Contract and Pursuit of Grant Funding for Airport Safety Improvements" (Adobe PDF File, 185 KB)
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BOCC Agenda Report for 9/1/09 9 AM meeting - Item VII.E.2 - "Request Board of County Commissioners' Approval to Request Attorney General's Opinion Regarding Zoning Jurisdiction at Valkaria Airport" (Adobe PDF File, 1.4 MB)
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