U.S.
Department of Transportation
Central
Region 901 Locust
Federal Aviation
Iowa,
Kansas, Kansas City Missouri 64106
Administration Missouri, Nebraska (81 6)
329-2600
December 28, 2012
Mayor Ronald Blum
City of St. Clair
#1 Paul
Parks Dr.
St. Clair, MO 63077
Dear Mayor Blum:
Thank you for your letter dated August 30, 2012, about the City of St. Clair’s
(City) formal request to close the St. Clair Regional Airport (K39).
In accepting Federal Airport Improvement Program funds, the City signed a grant
assurances contract and agreed to specific federal obligations, including the
commitment to keep the airport open and to make it available for public use as
an airport. The City may not close the airport without the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA)’s consent and without a formal release from its applicable
federal obligations.
When evaluating a sponsor’s request to close a federally obligated airport, the
FAA considers a number of pertinent factors. These factors include the
sponsor’s past and present compliance record and its actions in making the
airport available for aeronautical use by the public. In light of the FAA’s
concerns about the City’s apparent unwillingness to maintain St. Clair Regional
Airport available as a usable airport, the Agency will not consider closing St.
Clair Regional Airport, as the city requested several months ago, until the
city corrects deficiencies at the airport.
The corrective actions include:
Conducting adequate repairs and
the regular inspection of pavement surfaces, runway safety areas, and airport
lighting systems including the airport beacon, runway lights and the lighted
windsock. The obligation for the City to maintain these facilities exists
as long as the airport is used for airport purposes or until the FAA releases
the City from this obligation;
Working with the State of Missouri
to address operational and financial issues raised by the Department of
Transportation Office of inspector Genera!; and
Resolving the formal complaint filed
under 14 CFR Part 16 and the recent informal complaint regarding the increase
in tenant rental fees.
Again, the FAA has placed the City’s request for closure on hold. Future
discussions will be limited to issues related to the City completing the steps
detailed in this letter, including correcting the known safety violations at
the airport, adequately addressing your outstanding Part 16 and Part 13
compliance complaints and completing an acceptable corrective plan related to
the OIG Hotline complaint. Should you require clarification, please contact me
at 816-329-2601,
Sincerely,
Jim Johnson
Airports Division
