MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county has entered into a five-year contract with Calgary’s KS2 Management Limited to manage and maintain the municipally-owned Olds-Didsbury and Sundre airports.
Approval of the contract came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and online.
The agreement comes into effect on Jan. 1, 2022 and will expire on Dec. 31, 2026. Under the agreement, the county will pay the company $20,000 a month.
Under the current model for operating the airports, the county paid $152,000 to the Olds-Didsbury Flying Association and $85,000 to the Sundre Flying Club in 2021, said Chris Atchison, director of legislative services.
Under the new agreement, KS2 will be responsible for all labour, material and equipment necessary to carry out the operation, management and maintenance of the airports.
The company will be obliged to develop and adhere to a winter and summer maintenance program according to key performance indicators, such as plowing when certain snowfall levels are reached.
The company will be required to adhere to various plans and systems, including the airport operations manual, safety management system, wildlife management plan, airport emergency response plan and runway conditions reporting.
KS2 is responsible to establish a $10,000 budget for materials related to undertaking annual crack sealing and line painting. In the event that this annual budget is expected to be insufficient, KS2 will obtain county approval for further funding.
The company must also maintain aviation general liability insurance in the amount of $5,000 and shall name Mountain View County as additional insured.
The county’s obligations under the contract include promotion of the premises and aviation opportunities, marketing of any county-owned lands available at the premises for sale, cost and implementation of capital improvements, and routine cost of visual aid replacements when necessary, including light, precision approach position indicator, illuminated wind direction indicators, signage and windsocks.
Aviation committee terms approved
Meanwhile, councillors have approved the terms of reference for the new aviation advisory committee in the municipality.
Council had instructed administration to draft the terms of reference for the development of the committee, which will advise the county.
“With the recent decision to transition towards a service contract (with KS2 Management) for the management and maintenance of the Olds-Didsbury Airport and the Sundre Airport, the intent of the committee is to assist administration as the county continues to work towards the development of airports and achievement of county’s economic development strategy,” said Atchison.
According to the new terms of reference, the scope and purpose of the new committee will include the “review of long-range infrastructure plans associated to the airport and subsequent recommendation to council on future capital priorities relative to county airports.”
Other purposes of the committee include the “review of concerns and feedback received from county airports relative to infrastructure or approved service levels to determine trends and recommendation of remedial actions for county consideration.”
The new committee will be made up of two county councillors and six appointed public members with interests in aviation.
The public members will be appointed for two-year terms; the councillors for one-year terms. The chair and vice-chair will be appointed for one-year terms.
The committee will have no spending or payment authority, and will have the authority to make recommendation to council for further consideration.
