Ocala Airport Advisory Board Meeting Minutes – June 9, 2026
Ocala Airport Advisory Board Meeting – June 9, 2026
The Ocala Airport Advisory Board met on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 9:00 AM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order with an invocation by new board member Thad Boyd, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. All five members were present: Terry Crawford, Randy Klein, Kevin Reed, Thomas Smallen, and Thad Boyd. The board approved the May 2026 minutes, approved a $74,328.62 airfield paint project funded from the airport fund, and approved a ground lease with GLJ Aviation LLC (including a right of first refusal on the option parcel). The Airport Director provided updates on numerous ongoing projects, and fuel sales were highlighted as strong for May, though overall operations were slightly down.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes from May 2026: The board approved the previous month's minutes without correction or addition. (Motion by Terry Crawford, seconded; all in favor.)
Discussion Items
- 2026 OCF Airfield Paint Project ($74,328.62): The project involves repainting runway centerlines, numbers, and taxiway markings. The state denied a grant request, so the project will be fully funded from the airport fund (approximately $3 million available). The board approved the expenditure. (Motion approved unanimously.)
- Award ITN #AIR 240448 to GLJ Aviation LLC and Approve Ground Lease Agreement:
- Background: The invitation to negotiate (ITN) was issued in March 2024, closed May 7, 2025; GLJ Aviation was the sole respondent. GLJ proposes building a hangar at the Alpha 9 intersection, near the hexaport, to house its Gulfstream G4 (currently based in Fort Lauderdale).
- Lease terms: 30‑year term with two five‑year extensions (standard is 40 years). Rate: $0.35 per square foot for the entire parcel (up from $0.25 for building footprint + $0.05 for apron/parking). An option parcel of about 3 acres is included at $1,000/acre per year for five years.
- Discussion: Board member Thomas Smallen initially opposed the five‑year option but was satisfied after clarifying that the option includes a right of first refusal (kick‑out clause) – if another party offers better terms, GLJ must either match or forfeit the option. Staff confirmed the hexaport tenants are on month‑to‑month leases and are being transitioned to short‑term renewals or the T‑hangar campus.
- Decision: Motion to approve subject to inclusion of a kick‑out clause (right of first refusal) on the option. (Motion by Terry Crawford, seconded by Kevin Reed; all in favor.)
Airport Director's Report (Matt Grow)
- North Development Access Road: Scope changed to relocate an FDOT pond, enabling the road to connect with SW 60th Avenue.
- MALSR/RPZ RY36 Grading – Design: Grant application submitted June 1; bid opening occurred in late May; awaiting FAA grant.
- Terminal Apron Rehab – Construction: 99.9% complete; two electric vault lids from France are delaying final connections (ground power units).
- Master Plan Update: In final review; to be submitted to FAA for airport layout plan approval; presentation to City Council soon.
- Alpha 9 Driveway: Vehicle access for the development site is 100% designed; undergoing permitting (SWFWMD).
- T‑Hangar Campus Rehabilitation – Construction: Mill and overlay project; currently in city permitting.
- A12 Infrastructure – Design: Designing utilities, grading, paving (approx. 5 acres, $1.8–1.9 million); funding being determined; cost will be recouped from future hangar developers.
- Concrete Pads – Design: Three pads: fuel farm extension, aircraft wash rack, and ops vehicle parking; being permitted; will be bid together with T‑hangar rehab.
- Taxiway Charlie Phase 1: Designed, in SWFWMD permitting; state grant application for $20 million (entire taxiway) was too large; now being revised to phase over 10 years.
- Fuel and Operations: May 2026 operations: 8,500 total (slightly down year‑over‑year). Fuel sales: Avgas flat; jet fuel 106,000 gallons (up 11,000 from May 2025). May record remains from 2007 (forest fire operations).
- Air Show Planning: JLC met with community leaders and hotels; air show scheduled for April 30 – May 2, 2027.
Key Outcomes
- Approved May 2026 minutes.
- Approved $74,328.62 for airfield paint project (funded from airport fund).
- Approved GLJ Aviation ground lease with 30‑year term, five‑year option, and right of first refusal (kick‑out clause) on the option parcel.
- Director’s report received; no further action required.
- Board welcomed new member Thad Boyd.
- Meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
I I got 901, so let the festivities begin. Let's see, what's the uh agenda? All right, we're gonna call the meeting to order and y'all um and start with an invocation. Our our newest board member Thad Boyd will say the invitation. Put that door. Yeah. Yes, and the deep end. All right. Heavenly Father, love you so much, and just uh thank you for this opportunity to serve. And uh Father, I just pray that um that your Holy Spirit got us and direct us and and everything that we do. And our thoughts are words on our actions in Jesus' name. Amen. You're you're official. I'm official. I allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which we stay one nation. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Roll call. Terry Crawford, Randy Klein, Kevin Reed, Thomas Smallin, Thad Boyd. Here all right. Next on the agenda is the approval of the minutes from last month, and Thad wasn't here, so Terry, do you move to approve? If any corrections or additions, I'll move approval. All right. All in favor? Aye. Well, I'll second it and all in favor, aye. All right. What's next? Uh airport director's report. I'm trying to get out of this. Yeah. Yeah, 5A, uh unfinished business. It's the uh 2026 uh airfield paint project in the amount of 74, 328.62 cents. So um we had submitted a grant application to the state uh towards the end of their budget year, looking for some state funding to do a painting project on the airport. They were unable to provide us with that funding. Um it's something that we still need to do. Uh we've we've got to restrict the center line on eighteen thirty-six, uh the numbers and center line on eight two six. Why it was unfinished. And um uh cleaning and restriping of various tax away alpha markings. Um we're gonna take advantage of a a state bid. Um so the state went out and they got statewide pricing for markings at airports, so we're gonna piggyback on that contract uh with Florida Airfield Maintenance JV, which allows for efficient procurement and competitive pricing. So we're gonna bear the total cost of this because the state wasn't able to pull through. We're we're still gonna pursue the grant on the chance that in the new budget year that that um the state would fund it, but uh when it comes right down to it, it's something that we have to do. So we're requesting the full amount um uh be approved, funded through the airport fund. There's about three million dollars in that fund right now. So staff recommends approval. Can you uh for the benefit of that explain what this is, this paint project? So we're um every few years, five to six years, five, seven years, somewhere around there, we're repainting the the the paint on the airfield. So the runway, taxiways, the hold lines, runways get white paint, hangar lines. That's a different project. That's a different project, but that is included.
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