Staff flags rising electric costs and seeks revenue ideas including events and tenant use

Summary

Staff reported higher electric bills after turning on a heat pump system and asked attendees for ideas to generate revenue beyond hangar rents, citing interest in hosting events such as Wings and Wheels and storing aircraft for a festival; staff also noted recent activity from Transcend Air and MIT testing.

Staff reported concern about sharply higher electric bills at the airport after activating heating/cooling equipment, and asked the group to propose revenue-generating ideas beyond hangar rents. Staff said the building thermostat range should be maintained (approximately 45 to 85 degrees was mentioned) to limit electric costs; they noted electric bills rose for a period from about $400 to approximately $800 and that some bills observed reached as high as $1,000 after systems were turned on. Staff asked for suggestions to cut costs and for ideas to increase cash flow, including hosting events or encouraging transient aircraft and truck activity. Staff also said the airport recently hosted Transcend Air to test an electric aircraft prototype and expects additional testing from MIT and storage for about 10 aircraft by a Soaring Club during a September festival. Staff said an operator called Sterling’s status remains uncertain and may result in a sale. No formal revenue policy or budget vote was taken; staff requested volunteers to propose specific revenue ideas.