HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 06 1989 Airport Issue Stirs Debate6A, Thursday, April 6, 1989, Vero Beach, Fla., Press -Journal
AirportIssue
By PATRICIA DILALLA should be slurry sealed instead of paved and solicited
Sebastian Bureau Chief Johns' opinion at that point. Johns said slurry sealing
The airport issue again had Sebastian City Council pavement that old would not accomplish very much.
members arguing over several related agenda. items He estimated the utility of slurry sealing would be
Wednesday night. two to three years and would not help those areas of
In a 3-2 vote, the council authorized the city man- the runway that had badly deteriorated.
ager to seek fee proposals from engineering consul -"Normally, it is used where the pavement is in fair
tants to prepare plans, specifications, bidding to good condition," Johns said.
documents and inspections services for slurry sealing
and striping runway 4/22 and removing, runway Councilman Lloyd Rondeau said lie asked a Vero
lights. Mayor Richard Votapka and Councilman Frank Beach businessman who has experience in slurry seal-
Oberbeck voted against the motion. ing runways how much it would cost and was told
Council scheduled for first reading on April 12 an $48,000-$50,000.
ordinance that would dissolve the airport advisory Votapka and Oberbeck objected to spending the
board and clarify language on who has authority over money because they said slurry sealing is not the
the airport director and airport manager. Council also answer.
will decide next week whether to seek further pro- McCarthy said the runways have passed yearly in-
posals from attorneys specializing in aviation law. spection by the Florida Department of Transportation
For the most part, the contention was over Vice and further that no member of the advisory board,has
Mayor Robert McCarthy's desire to speed along the ever asked that the runways be paved.
changes proposed at a meeting two weeks ago. Airport Manager John Van Antwerp said he asked
At one point, McCarthy chastized the city manager for engineering proposals to pave the runways for this
and city attorney for failing to follow instructions year's budget but was denied.
given at'a meeting two weeks ago. t With regard to hiring anp attorney specializing in
City Manager Robb McClary asked that language aviation law, McClary recommended the city hire one
within the city code be changed to give him authority not only in the event of litigation but to draw up the
over both the airport manager and airport director. ordinances and regulations needed to implement the
Since the proposed ordinance language prepared by airport referendum.
City Attorney Charles Nash incorrectly had the air- McClary told council he received background and
port director being appointed by the City Council, fee information from the Washington, D.C., attorney
McCarthy objected to having to wait another two who drafted the referendum language.
weeks before the revised ordinance would be re
turned to council. The mayor's suggestion that other attorneys be so -
He was particularly angry because he said the coun- licited within Florida who might be cheaper and
cil gave the proper instructions to McClary at the would be qualified within the state drew objections
March 22 meeting and they were not carried out. from McCarthy.
In the end, the ordinance was revised Wednesday to McCarthy said, and the city attorney agreed, that
make the airport director a department head, allow the council did not have to solicit proposals. McCar-
the city manager to fill the job if no one has been ap- thy said that since the Washington attorney drafted
pointed to it and gave flexibility to the city manager the referendum language, he would be the best
by allowing him to appoint any city employee as air- person to defend it. Furthermore, he said soliciting
port director. If that were to happen, conceivably the other attorneys would take weeks to do and the city
employee would be a department head as the airport has only 90 days to implement the provisions of the
director but an employee in his other job. referendum. P
Votapka apologized to City Engineer Horry Johns Oberbeck said he preferred the democratic process
for not asking his opinion on whether the runway of going out for bids.