The Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Board of Directors had its regular meeting on Monday, April 22. For the second time in 2019, the board convened Executive Session during over an hour for ongoing litigation and legal issues.
For the remainder of the meeting, two topics dominated the discussion: Tenant and parking issues.
Sedona Car Rentals’ Adam Deibel, who is a Sedona Airport tenant with one year left on the current lease, said there was confusion on who is responsible for improvements and repairs needed for his business. He was asking the board for the airport to fund three improvements on his leased premises.
“Presently, management is unable to support approval of the agenda because of unknown cost of improvements,” business manager Nelson Durkee said. “We feel it sets a precedent, which might encourage other tenants to petition the board for similar board-financed improvements.”
According to Deibel, he had already addressed the board for a replacement storage shed and a shade for washing vehicles, but members at the time were unable to agree on the expenditure and design, as well as if the renovation could be handled as a Tenant Improvement allowance and considered an improvement to the airport.
“I understood it to be a dispute with the previous tenant, that’s why [it] didn’t get … done with the last paving job, but that’s hearsay,” Deibel said. “Jet blast has knocked down one of my structures already and I don’t know who owns that structure. I don’t know whether you own it or I own it, but it’s down and the [other] one is crumbling.”
“So, if it’s mine, I’ll fix it; if it’s yours, you should fix it, but nobody seems to know whose it is,” he added.
The uncertainty of the matter led to a discussion between board members about the construction of the Sedona Car Rental lease, as well as other tenant leases, since there is no clear direction on the current agreement.
“Typically, there’s a negotiation at the beginning of the lease, which there isn’t [here],” director David Cooper said.
Deibel added that the seller he bought the business from also didn’t know who owned the structures. He said he is looking for direction, such as design criteria, to be able to work on the improvements.
I did a presentation with my wife with you and Pam and Jim,” Deibel said to Board President Harold Idell. “We all agreed on … the concept and I thought it came down to color. And we’ve been waiting on color this whole time.”
While discussing airport and lessee responsibilities, Vice President Pam Fazzini mentioned the airport recently had covered some tenants’ parking lots with gravel, asking why they were responsible for it, but could deny Deibel’s improvement request.
“This is what should be spelled out,” Fazzini said. “What part are we responsible for and what part are they responsible for.”
According to Idell, the work done in the parking lots should be considered maintenance. Board members then talked about the Overlook parking lot, as well as roads around the airport being covered in mud after rain, which is why the gravel was needed.
“Part of it is people are not wanting to pay the $3 for our parking lot and they are parking over in front of our tenants and they drive over what was grass and they make a big, muddy mess,” Fazzini said, referring to tourists and residents who are either taking the hiking trails in the area or visiting the Airport Mesa Overlook.
On the topic of not using the Overlook parking lot, Sedona resident Russ Demaray addressed the board about an issue that is not directly related to the airport, but he believes it could help with fixing.
Demaray is worried about pedestrian traffic and irregular parking on Airport Road, between the Overlook and the Saddle, where the Airport Votex is located.
“The airport road that comes up to the airport, I understand that is not part of the airport property, it is a city road, city maintained — but … of the 25 years I’ve been here, on the last few years, the city has created a situation on that road that is dangerous, is going to get people injured or killed,” he said during the public comment section. “They have people parking down at the Overlook and they’re parking in the road easement constantly, they park on the ‘no parking’ signs; the city hasn’t enforced it. I’ve called the police at least three or four times, I know others at the airport have called the police.”
“What I’m asking the board to do is send a letter to the city, letting the city know our concern and let the city have a liability that if someone is seriously injured there or killed … they’re going to have the negligence because they do not enforce the own rules that they pass on that road,” Demaray continued. “If I’m injured or killed there, I’m going to be suing the city and I’d like to see the city explain themselves when people are calling on a daily basis.”
According to Demaray, the board could do a better job of getting the city’s attention on the issue than residents, and leading to action on its part.
Following the meeting, Fazzini said, “The airport is concerned with safety inside and outside.” She added that, although no move to write the letter had been made yet as of May 1, they are concerned with the safety of people who come to the airport and its surrounding areas.
Idell agreed, adding the board will make a move, but it has to be analyzed by their lawyers before it goes to the city.
Natasha Heinz can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 117, or email atnheinz@larsonnewspapers.com
