The City Council approved actions Monday necessary for the City of Bartlesville to assume control of the Bartlesville Municipal Airport.
While the airport has always been owned by the City, management of its operation had been provided by ConocoPhillips and the preceding Phillips companies for several years.
The City will take over operation of the facility on Aug. 16 following an announcement last year by ConocoPhillips that the company would terminate its lease-operating agreement with the City effective Aug. 15.
During the council’s regularly scheduled August meeting, the council voted in support of two actions relating to the management change, including an agreement with Phillips 66 to continue supplying fuel for the airport.
“The City of Bartlesville is taking over operational control of the Bartlesville Municipal Airport on Aug. 16 and will need a reputable marketer to supply on-spec aviation grade fuel with a robust quality assurance program at a competitive price,” said Director of Engineering Micah Siemers.
Based on the recommendation of the airport manager, the council voted in support of the City entering into a five-year contract with Phillips 66 for the service.
The council also approved a funding swap with the City of Eufaula for airport expansion.
“Early in 2021, it was planned to rehabilitate and expand a portion of the taxiway and apron immediately south of the FBO, at the airport,” said Siemers. “The project was to be funded by a Fiscal Year 2021 grant from FAA, but with the elimination of the ConocoPhillips shuttle service, it is anticipated that more transient aircraft will be able to park in front of the terminal building, and the FBO services — fuel sales — will take place at the terminal building instead of the existing FBO building. While a portion of the project will still be necessary, staff desires to re-evaluate the scope of the apron expansion, as the operations at the airport shift from their historical patterns, and construct the project under a Fiscal Year 2022 FAA grant.”
Siemers said the City has $117,902 of FY 2018 Non-Primary Entitlements, federal funds, available through the FAA that must be under grant in FY 2021 or they will expire.
“To prevent this, the FAA has suggested arranging for a funding swap with another Oklahoma airport, under which the other airport will utilize the expiring funds on their project under a FY 2021 grant and transfer an equal amount back to Bartlesville in FY 2022 that will comprise part of the funding in the FY 2022 FAA grant for Bartlesville,” Siemers said.
He said the FAA program manager that oversees Bartlesville Municipal Airport also oversees the Eufaula Municipal Airport and has identified that airport as a willing funding swap partner, and that the City of Eufaula was considering a similar agreement at an upcoming meeting.