Chapter Thirteen
Airport Manager Report
dated 18 May 1956
To the Chairman of
the Airport Advisory Committee
Grand Prix Races (page 15)
Bearing in mind that the fundamental policies that were
responsible for the establishment of the municipal operation of the airport as
an agency to advance the interests of all of the citizens and businesses of the
community, we have consistently tried to cooperate with the Grand Prix Race
Committee each year, even though we have lacked specific instructions from the
Council and even though each running has cost the Terminal quite a neat
sum. Until this year, we have seen very
few days in which the Terminal might recover any part of these costs.
At the fifth race, held on 24 March 1956, 157 airplanes
landed and a number of them took on gasoline and oil here on which we made a
small profit. One of the contestants has
become interested in our plan and MAY build a small plant here for
manufacturing purposes. He has made
arrangements to lease a small building and some apartments, by the year, the
latter to accommodate his racing crews and personnel of his northern plants who
may be vacationing in Florida.
Another contestant rented space for a week for servicing
his cars but the most valuable result of the race this year came when the
Corvette people rented space for servicing their cars and testing them. For two months, they maintained a payroll of
approximately $1,700 per week in addition to thousands of dollars spent with
businessmen and hotels.
It is our opinion that the management has been responsible
for the fact that the Terminal has not profited to a greater degree than it has
from the hundreds of people who annually visit the property. No more that a casual effort has been made to
present an attractive appearance that would look inviting to those who might be
interested. A study of the list of
participants in the 1956 contest revealed the fact that several of the owners
and/or drivers were executives in manufacturing firms in the north, some of
whom may now or later, be interested in a Florida plant. So, we see here, an opportunity to advertise
our advantages to some who may be prospects.
By the same token, many pictures are taken of the races and, in the
past, it would hardly be possible to take a picture without showing some uncut
weeds, abandoned flues, sagging roofs or some other unattractive view that gave
the impression of an abandoned property.
To change this condition, it will take a year round effort and will cost
some money but will offer the only way in which the Terminal will profit.
For the past two years, the City has given some help with
our expense problem by sending help from the Street Department and the Golf
Course to help cut the weeds before the race and to do a small part of the
cleanup after the event. We feel that
this effort should be expanded to cover all of the work that the City is
expected to perform for this is the public that benefits most from the races.
One item of expense that is not inconsiderable is that of
electric power. All of the high wattage
lamps on the course, in the pits, in the hangars used for servicing, in the
concessions, as well as the heating elements in the concessions, are on
un-metered services and, hence are the expense of the Terminal.
It is not too early to plan for the 1957 race. In thinking about this, we should consider
that we have, in the past, furnished a large building for use by contestants
for working on their cars. This year, we
moved a tenant out of the small hangar to make some room but we expect to have
this and all other buildings in use that will not permit it to be used by the
race. The Firemen have proposed to pave
one of their County Fair buildings so that it may be used by racing cars but
this will be so far away from the course that it may not be entirely
satisfactory. It would seem that after
observing five running’s of this event and in the light of its increasing,
international recognition and importance, some provision of a permanent nature
should be made to accommodate the contest cars.
A Memorandum
The following memorandum from the Airport Advisory
Committee was directed to the City Council in 1958, after the City had received
several offers from outside interests to take over the operation of the field
and to pay the city for the franchise.
At the time, a new day was dawning and prospects for success were
becoming brighter.
The memorandum was signed by the Airport Advisory Committee.
- - - - -
The Airport
Advisory Committee, which will hereafter be referred to as “we,” has made an
extensive inquiry into the history and present operations of the Sebring
Airport as time would permit, and our conclusions, which will be set forth,
represent our sincere and unanimous opinion as to the best way to preserve this
great city asset. It was not our
responsibility or assignment to determine the causes for the present conditions
at the airport, and therefore the review of the past was made solely with the
idea of arriving at ways and means to safeguard the future. That many mistakes have been made is obvious,
but that should have been expected under the circumstances as they have existed
heretofore, and it is not our purpose to fix responsibility for these
errors. We therefore pick up the problem
as it exists, and our studies have centered upon what to do next.
We would like
to express our gratitude to Mr. Allen Altvater for his full and eager
cooperation in giving us information to further our studies.
Our first
conclusion is that the proposal that is currently before the Council, namely to
lease the airport in its entirety to a private enterprise, should be declined
in its present form. At the same time,
we feel that the presentation of such a proposal has served a very worthy
purpose, and the men who presented it should be thanked for focusing the
attention of the City and its executives upon the need for a completely new
method of supervising its management.
Apparently, for
many years the benefits which have accrued to Sebring from the possession of
this great civic asset have been taken for granted, and means to preserve its
value have unfortunately been overlooked.
In our opinion,
it is too much to expect a City Council made up of volunteer citizens to give
more time and study than they have to the intricate management problems of such
a large and complex enterprise, even though it is of such high potential and
vital importance to Sebring.
As to the present condition of the airport, it is clear
that the physical properties are deteriorating seriously and that it has not
been possible, with the resources at hand, to keep the buildings in an adequate
state of repair and suitable for the secure operation of the businesses now established
at the airport. These businesses, in the
aggregate, employ in excess of 430 people, residents of our community who build
homes and spend their incomes with local business establishments. To illustrate the magnitude of the advantages
which accrue to the business and professional people of this area, we point out
that the yearly payroll at the airport now exceeds $1,400,000. It should be noted that an additional benefit
to the people of Sebring is the income which avalanches through a short period
in the spring, which we feel amounts to at least a half million dollars. This figure represents only the probable
amounts spent in Sebring by those who attend the races -- for food, lodgings,
and other purposes made from local merchants.
There are countless other fringe benefits and direct monetary returns,
the total of which it would be impossible to compute.
Part of the
studies has included an investigation of the airport at Sarasota which was
acquired from the government under like circumstances and on a similar basis to
the way in which Sebring Air Terminal was acquired. Our inquiry revealed that the facilities are
similar; with some “pluses” and “minuses,” and that the airport at Sarasota is
operating very successfully, maintaining itself, and building up cash
reserves. They have, in fact, undertaken
an expansion program and they are receiving assistance in this matter from the
Civil Aeronautics Administration.
It is the
considered opinion of this committee that immediate steps must be taken if our
great asset is to survive. We are
confident that it can, if a governing body is established which will have the
time and authority to carry out a maintenance and development program. It will need financing at the beginning, but,
in our opinion, it can be self-sustaining after the facilities at the airport
are rehabilitated.
By
rehabilitation, we mean that ways must be found to put the present buildings in
safe and usable condition and that thereafter they must be insured, to protect
the City from fire, windstorm, etc.
Also, this restoration should take place in the interests of good faith
in the present leaseholders so that their businesses may continue safely and
uninterrupted which in turn is to the mutual advantage of the industries
involved and the community as well. As a
matter of fact, the City already has contractual obligations to the tenants to
maintain the properties. It is obvious
that this maintenance to date has been inadequate.
In order to bring about a secure, continuous and sound
administration of the airport, not only for its restoration but also for its
future development, we propose and urge that a body be established to be known
as the Airport Authority, to consist of five experienced businessmen: that this
body be established immediately by city ordinance, and subsequently made
permanent by a legislative act; that this Airport Authority have the
responsibility for supervising the management and establishing policy; that it
be empowered to seek out and attract to Sebring enterprises which would be a
credit to the city and valuable in creating employment for many of our young
people who are now obligated to establish themselves elsewhere; that it be
empowered to negotiate leases and otherwise act as a Board of Directors, as nearly
as that is possible within the structure of a publicly-owned enterprise. The members of this Authority, after the
first rotation, should hold office for a minimum of five years, so that at all
times there will exist the benefit of years of
experience in directing this undertaking.
As stated, some
moneys will be needed for immediate repairs and restoration, and this should be
secured either through loans from the City or by a modest mileage tax which need
not be a burden in view of the large returns to the tax payers through the
aforementioned direct and indirect benefits which accrue to this
community. Already the taxpayers have
been spared considerable expense by the acquisition of materials and equipment
from the airport which, if purchased, would have been paid through the general
fund.
If the forgoing
suggestion for an Airport Authority is not acceptable, then, in our opinion,
there is only one alternative. That
would be for the City to draw up detailed specifications as to what it would
like to have accomplished at and for the airport, and through advertising, call
for public bids from private industry to take it over according to detailed
specifications.
To permit the
airport to continue as it is now will, in our opinion, lead only to a further
deterioration of the properties and it cannot possibly attract new industries,
new payrolls, and the desirable results which the people of Sebring would
welcome or expect.
The foregoing
is the considered opinion of this body, and we trust that it will be useful in
formulating plans for making Sebring flourish.
Memorandum
From The Airport Advisory Committee
to the Sebring City Council - 1/29/1959
In order that the annual Grand Prix Race continue and
develop from year to year in a manner that is fair and beneficial to all
concerned and under conditions which will build goodwill and better friendship,
the Airport Advisory Committee recommends that the existing lease between the
City of Sebring and the Sebring Firemen, Inc., be continued for its
duration. However, we would be remiss in
the execution of our duties unless we insist on the Firemen carrying out all of
their contractual obligations outlined in the lease dated February 5, 1957.
The integrity of the airport must be maintained and
improved if it is to develop and flourish along desired lines. Therefore, we propose the following:
1. That the
Firemen continue as the lessee in the existing lease provided they fulfill the
requirements outlined therein.
2. That the
Airport fund be reimbursed for damages caused by crowds and campers prior to
and during last year’s race.
3. That adequate
comprehensive general liability insurance coverage and property insurance
coverage be carried in such amounts as to cover the
requirements of Articles 5 and 6 of the lease.
This insurance coverage should be in effect for the entire race period
and must not be limited to the actual “running of the race.”
4. That the
Airport fund be reimbursed promptly for cost of all services requested or
required in connection with all pre-race preparations or unusual expenses
incurred during or as a result of the race.
5. That the
lessee be held responsible for cleaning up after the race
and that the airport premises and property be returned in its previous
condition.
6. That the
Committee be given the opportunity to approve all schedules for practice runs
and to approve or establish airport surface traffic rules which the lessee will
enforce.
7. That the
Committee will insist that every possible consideration be given to maintain
the rights of present tenants so as to permit free access to their property and
to provide maximum protection from trespassers.
8. That the
pre-race activities be limited to the general area of the pits, grandstands and
straight portion of ramp and that only cars entered in the race are to be
allowed on the race course. Runways must
remain free and clear unless field is closed.
9. That the
housing area be adequately fenced to prevent trespassing prior to and during
the race period.
10. That all
fences, buildings, platforms, sand piles, etcetera, be constructed with the
consent of the Committee, as provided for in Article 7 of the lease.
11. That no
airport camping be permitted except in an isolated area enclosed and supervised
to permit proper control and supervision.
This area should provide facilities for campers (water, fuel, toilets).
12. Greatly
improved toilet facilities are required which will be sanitary and adequate.
13. Greater
supervision is required to prevent damage to property and injury to spectators
with “steeplejack” ambitions.
14. One runway
should be kept clear for operation of aircraft -or- no takeoffs or landings
should be permitted while the race is in progress. NO TAMS.
15. No drag races
or practice for such races are to be permitted at any time.
16. Any other item
which should be required to maintain the Airport or the property of tenants
intact.
AIRPORT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE