Article online about Skydive Arizona's issue with the city of Eloy

[marks2065 0]

i don't know all the details but when skydive illinois was escorted off the airport in morris il for a violation of their contract the city had equipment moved in by that weekend and and dug up the entire landing area within 2 weeks - was 1 week from violation to equipment moved in - there might be something else going on and eloy wants sda to help pay for this or move out to make room for it

[kallend 1,621]

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It would nice to be so stinking rich that one wouldn't have to think twice to tell the city to stick it and pull up the whole DZ and move it "across the street" so to speak.

A buried stash of krugerrands can come in very handy

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,621]

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i don't know all the details but when skydive illinois was escorted off the airport in morris il for a violation of their contract the city had equipment moved in by that weekend and and dug up the entire landing area within 2 weeks - was 1 week from violation to equipment moved in - there might be something else going on and eloy wants sda to help pay for this or move out to make room for it

Morris was a viable airport without SDI, no new tenant has moved in (I believe they just built a few new tee-hangars) and SDI was a very small operation by comparison with SDA. From what I understand (admittedly all hearsay) there were some serious violations at SDI.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Zenister 0]

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Morris was a viable airport without SDI

anyone who thinks Eloy is anything near a 'viable airport' should come watch the tumbleweeds do touch and goes when SDAZ isnt jumping....

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[kallend 1,621]

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Morris was a viable airport without SDI

anyone who thinks Eloy is anything near a 'viable airport' should come watch the tumbleweeds do touch and goes when SDAZ isnt jumping....

I think that was my point, I've been to Eloy and Morris. Comparison with SDI is not too useful.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[marks2065 0]

but that doesn't mean eloy doesn't have something planned for the airport - morris didn't get rid of sdi then plan expansion - they planned expansion then found the reason to get rid of sdi to make room for the plans - eloy may have some plans for the airport that they need revenue from sda or sda may just be in the way - polititions never tell the whole story they tell you what they want until they get what they want - something has changed in eloy that makes them think they need more money or the space - what is eloy really after and why was sda picked to cover it ?

[lawrocket 3]

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No mention of the contract nor lease with Skydive Arizona which has been breached by the City of Eloy.

That's what got me in the article, too. There are lots of things in there abou thow the airport owners don't "have to" do anything in terms of privileges for TTF operators. But I didn't see anything that says that they can't.

The mayor's argument is loaded with this type of spin. The general public is unsophisticated with things like this, and rarely digs more deeply into statements. But, leaving out things like leases with contractual guarantees cannot be reasonably presumed to be negligent omissions.

And betsy - is Eloy currently in breach? Or, have they just stated an intention to breach?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[bbarnhouse 0]

Update~
The City Managers contract will not be renewed by the City Council.
Eloy Enterprise Jan 18,2007

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A day of judgment for area leaders
Eloy will have a new city manager guiding the future, after the city council decided not to renew his contract.
City Manager Jim McFellin was one of four prominent people in Eloy who's jobs were evaluated last week.

These evaluations often come at the same time as job contracts are up for renewal, though not always.

McFellin was told last Thursday that the city would not be renewing his employment contract. He's served for six years in the position, one of the longest tenures in recent memory.

By a vote of 6-1 the city council decided not to rehire McFellin. No city representative would go on record about any dissatisfaction they may have had with McFellin.

Mayor Byron Jackson said McFellin was planning to retire within months, in any case. Rather than renew a contract, even for a few months, the council decided to end McFellin's employment as soon as possible. McFellin's contract runs out in February. He was hired Feb. 5, 2001. He is expected to work until then.

Jackson said there were "several attributing factors" to the decision but declined to name any. He sent out a brief memo to city staff, Tuesday about the council's action.

"This decision was based solely on the council's desire to pursue other management options as the city approaches a new decade," he wrote, in part.

Asked later what this actually meant, Mayor Jackson elaborated: "I believe the city is going to feel the impact of a reoccurring development market really quick. Opting not to renew the contract is the starting line to a new direction."

A break now allows a fresh start for a new city manager, Jackson said.

"We considered all options during discussions, but managers are guided by council. It will be our jobs to allow a new manager to make an assessment of his departments, department heads, and staff without any influence from outgoing management. I believe that's fair to that person and the sitting council. ... City Managers are at-will employees!"

McFellin was notified directly after the executive session when the vote was made. City Clerk Mary Ridgell said it was a "very amicable separation."

After the decision was announced, McFellin said he wanted to "remain friendly and wished the city the best of luck. There weren't any harsh words," Ridgell said.

McFellin did not return phone calls seeking comment.

"I assure staff that some changes may be imminent, but this city will run as normal," Jackson wrote to staff, "and I am confident in the abilities of department heads to remain professional and for all city employees to conduct business as usual until we have a full-time replacement on board."

The council will discuss further options in a scheduled executive session Monday night during or after its regular council meeting. Asked whether current Community Development Director Joe Blanton might fill in, Jackson said it wasn't his decision to make.

"Mr. Blanton could fill in on an interim basis but it boils down to the direction of the council," Jackson said.

That same evening City Attorney Stephen Cooper was also evaluated. No details or even generalities of that evaluation were given, but Cooper is still the city's attorney of record.

The one person that did vote to keep him, told me directly that the vote was so that he could "Keep his pension" even though the individual stated that she knew which way the vote was going to go.
Now that sounds like a solid reason for a yes vote if I ever heard one...
The move by the City Council does not solve the current issue, but at least the council now has all of the information they need to make a more informed decision.

[azdav 0]

One tin soldier rides away..........

Hopefully now some common sense will prevail

Noooobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!! M.P.F.C.

[MikeForsythe 0]

Well, if nothing else, you lasted longer than he did!

Checkmate!

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[BillyVance 34]

I was thinking more along the lines of:

Team Larry! Fuck Yeah!
Coming to save the motherfucking day, fuck yeah!



Glad to see this issue getting somewhere to a conclusion.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[PhreeZone 14]

Looks like the fight is over:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18083146&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222077&rfi=6


City backs away from airport rates




By TEMPLE A. STARK, Editor March 15, 2007



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The airport is quiet again.
All the turmoil surrounding proposed rates for tenants has settled down, with the city council showing that they want to have a second look at new fees and rates.

In so doing, they had to rescind an ordinance passed in October of last year that set a rate and user fee schedule. They did this Monday, and pledged to start fresh.
"As a gesture of good will to all our airport tenants (on-site and off-site) who are directly affected by (the previous ordinance, No. 06-637) and who were not consulted nor apprised of the rate and fee study, the Airport Rates Ad Hoc Committee is recommending that Ordinance No. 06-637 be rescinded, in its entirety, in order for the committee to: 1) Study all the rates and fees; 2) Involve the current airport tenants in the decision-making process; and, 3) Bring a recommendation to the Municipal Airport Advisory Board that is supportable and one that they can ultimately recommend to council."

Already, meetings of an informal or ad hoc Airport Rates Committee have taken place. One of the things they've done is compare and contrast fees for hangar rental and airport users, with airports of similar size. This simple step was one of many grievances that airport users voiced last year.

The previous rates and fees study by Kimley-Horn and Associates came to the council from the Airport Advisory Board without a recommendation for approval or denial.

The city had spent more than $20,000 for a rates study in early 2006. Airport users complained that they were not consulted or kept informed of progress through all of last year.. Once they got a look at the schedule they discovered what they thought were large gaps and poor comparisons. For instance much larger airports with greater services were included as justification for setting Eloy's rates.

Larry Hill, owner and operator of SkyDive Arizona, the Bent Prop Saloon and an RV Park next to the airport raised the biggest fuss because his fees were set to go from zero to $72,000 a year. The first recommendation was to pay close to $150,000 a year. He said prior agreements with the city gave him the rights for unlimited "through-the-fence" use.

On-site businesses, such as High and Dry Balloons do not pay through-the-fence fees. Such fees are often designed to promote businesses within the airport. However, in the case of SkyDive or the Bent Prop Saloon, there is not similar business inside the airport.

Personality clashes between Hill, other airport tenants and former City Manager Jim McFellin, did nothing to calm the air around the issue.

Hill, threatened to leave the airport and to file lawsuits against the city to make his point. Skydive Arizona, with hundreds of thousands of parachute jumps made each year above Eloy, currently accounts for the vast majority of air traffic, as well as sales tax revenue at the airport.

The staff report, presented Monday, about the fiscal impact of rescinding the previous rates and fees schedule acknowledged this fact:

"Fiscal Impact: Loss of potential income for the city by not billing the new rates and fees. However, the city could be faced with even greater loss if current tenants decided to relocate to another airport given their apparent ill will toward the entire process [that] established the new rates and fees."

The concerns from Hill were not settled prior to the October ordinance. Instead, it was passed with a provision to come to an arrangement with Hill. No arrangement, such as a much lower fee for SkyDive Arizona, was met.

On-site tenants of the airport's T-hangars were billed following the ordinance.

It was an issue that seemed poised to change the future of Eloy, for the worse. Now the drawing board has been brought out again and wiped clean.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Fast 0]

I would say a damn good call on the City's part.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[rehmwa 2]

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Looks like the fight is over.

I doubt that, but it does look as if the fight will now be conducted under gentlemen's rules and fair conduct.

Good call. I'd hate to see how they'd move the tunnel.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants