Sugar Land Abolishes Advisory Board

The Sugar Land (Texas)City Council has abolished its aviation policy advisory board comprised of city residents and has established a new committee of tenants at the city's airport.

The city's aviation director will appoint members of the new committee.

The city had asked the staff to review the role of the advisory board because the Sugar Land Regional Airport has grown and evolved. The new board will examine how needs of the airport can be met.

Joe Esch, executive director of business and intergovernmental relations, presented the proposed changes at a workshop meeting on April 3. The City Council gave final approval to the changes Tuesday.

After creating an advisory committee, the airport director will continue regular meetings with the tenants.

Also, an Airport Citizens Academy modeled after the city's Police Citizens Academy will be created to have public involvement in the airport activities, Esch said.

Further, the role of the existing Business Incentive Committee of the City Council will be expanded to provide for a review of airport projects.

The previous advisory board did not have any administrative oversight on the day-to-day operations of the airport, but made policy recommendations to the council. The board reviewed long-term plans and annual business plans and provided volunteers. It met once a month.

After the council asked for a review last year, the advisory board had not met after September 2006. The chairman of the advisory board, Ken English, resigned in October, citing personal reasons, Esch said.

The last major activity of the board was to organize an open house for the new airport terminal in June 2006.

Esch said no property tax is used to support it. The airport earns revenue from aviation fuels sales and has about 77 tenants. A few other businesses have hangars.

The city previously abolished the airport zoning board and recycling board and changed the structure of the Sugar Land Development Corp., he said.

During the workshop session, Councilman Dennis Parmer said council in the early 1990s decided to continue the aviation policy board. As the airport is expanding, the council is having another look at the board. Residents can participate through the academy, he said.

"We are widening the community participation and at the same time meeting the needs of customers, tenants and businesses at the airport," he said.

Councilwoman Cyril Hosley said, "There is a need to change the way the board is functioning as the airport has changed. The aviation board was not functioning the way it needs to."

In the new structure, "you are talking to people who are knowledgeable and who use the airport," Hosley said. To be in the citizens academy, one need not be a pilot, she said.

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