The 2010 Tour will take place September 30 – October 3, 2010 with stops throughout Upper and Lower Michigan.

The top five goals determined at the session were (1) upgrading the Instrument Landing System (ILS), (2) engineering, acquisition and construction of a new terminal, (3) Approach Lighting, (4) Creation of a communication strategy related to the Airport millage, and (5) Creation of a community marketing plan.

A copy of the complete results of the session are located under “Documents” at www.tulipcityairport.org.

• Approval to hire a part-time communications assistant to handle various communications matters. The position will work 5 to 7 hours a week with a maximum salary expenditure of $5,000.
• Approved the FY2011 Airport Insurance Program.

Other matters discussed at the meeting included a financial services contract instead of purchasing financial software in conjunction with the City of Holland and the results of the May 24^th Strategic Planning Session. They also received miscellaneous reports from the Authority Operations, Communications, and Building & Development Committees.

The next regular meeting of the West Michigan Airport Authority is scheduled for Monday, August 9, 2010 at Park Township Hall.

The proposed budget is available for public inspection in the Holland City Manager’s Office, City Hall, 270 South River Avenue, Holland, Michigan, between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. It is also available at www.tulipcityairport.org.

The West Michigan Airport Authority will provided necessary accommodation and/or auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for hearing-impaired persons and audio tapes of printed materials being considered, for persons with disabilities at the hearing upon five (5) days prior notice. Persons with disabilities requiring such accommodation, auxiliary aids, or services should provided notification to the City of Holland by contacting Assistant City Manager Greg Robinson at Holland City Hall, 270 South River Avenue, Holland, Michigan 49423, telephone (616) 355-1310.

Questions on the proposed budget of the West Michigan Airport Authority can be directed to Greg Robinson, Assistant City Manager, City of Holland, 270 South River Avenue – City Hall, Holland, Michigan, 49423, telephone (616) 355-1310, g.robinson@cityofholland.com.

Airport to Continue Exploration of Office Building Update

West Michigan Airport Authority Issues RFP for Concept & Budget Study revision

Sept. 14, 2009 – Holland, MI . The West Michigan Airport Authority today announced its intention to move forward with plans to solicit proposals to update the Concept & Budget Report for the Tulip City Airport office building and grounds.

The WMAA will invite 2-3 local architectural firms to submit proposals to update the 2005 Concept & Budget Report originally developed by airport engineering firm Mead & Hunt. The update will include new building options, feasibility, as well as updated budgets and timelines.

“This is a solid first step toward the much needed revamping of the Tulip City Airport terminal and office space,” said Greg Robinson, Holland Assistant City Manager. “The existing building falls extremely short of our needs &emdash; both in functionality and image for the community.”

Built in 1950, the existing office space was originally an 1,800 square foot ranch home. It was never intended or designed to be used for offices or terminal use. The WMAA is excited to finally be able to begin progress toward a facility that provides space for offices, passenger and pilot waiting areas, medical personnel areas, and transportation vendors (car rentals, etc.).

“This is a situation where the current facility is not a viable option for the long term,” said Kurt Dykstra, Chairman of the WMAA board. “Not only is it cramped and functionally inadequate, but it doesn’t even meet basic standards such as ADA requirements. The question isn’t whether or not to make a building change, but what will the scope of the building be and how do we raise the capital for it.”

Once the board chooses a firm to update the Concept & Budget Report, the next step will be to put together a funding strategy. This will most likely include substantial state and federal grants to cover infrastructure costs. Private funding is expected to cover a large portion of the building costs. If funding is acquired quickly, the construction of a new facility may begin as early as the summer of 2011.

The West Michigan Airport Authority is made up of representatives from the City of Holland, Park Township, and the City of Zeeland. Residents established the authority to provide the region with state-of-the-art global air access in order to strengthen the local economy and improve the area’s quality of life.

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