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LANETT — At its Monday meeting, the Lanett City Council tabled for further consideration a proposed lease at the Lanett Regional Airport for the Blue Skies Flight School and approved a contract for jet fuel services at the airport.

In a work session prior to the 6 p.m. meeting, Blue Skies owner Matthew Bourguignon asked why the council had made an initial offer at its February 17th meeting to lease office space in the terminal for $100 a month for the next three years. This would be in addition to what the flight school is already paying for tie-down spaces. They will also be paying higher rent when they move into the airport’s hangar.

At that February 17th meeting, Council Member Tony Malone questioned if $100 a month was sufficient, given that others who rent city-owned property pay $300 or more per month. At the time, the council decided to go with the higher figure.

Bourguignon asked for further consideration of this in the work session, justifying the request by saying the amount being charged was in addition to what he had already been paying.

Council Member Ronnie Tucker asked Bourguignon what he thought would be a fair amount, and he replied $100.

“No sir,” responded Council Member Angelia Thomas. “We are not trying to beat you out of anything, but we just want to be fair to others who rent from us. We charge $300 to rent for a birthday party.”

Tucker then asked Airport Manager Craig Stapleton what he thought was fair. Stapleton told him that the amount charged now would be a temporary solution, that the rent should be higher when the flight school makes the move to a big hangar at the airport. Some repairs that will soon be taking place on the building need to be finished before that move.”What do you think would be a fair price?” Tucker asked.

“I think $100 a month until they get into the big hangar. The rent should be higher then,” he said.

Council Member Tifton Dobbs said it was good to have a flight school at the airport but questioned whether it was a good thing for it to be in the terminal’s common area as much as it is. It could tie up the pilot’s lounge should a plane land there. “The present agreement doesn’t specify that you are having classes in that space,” Dobbs said. “I think the rent should be more than $100 a month for that reason.”

“I appreciate your patience in dealing with me,” Bourguignon said. “I’ve never had to negotiate rent with a city council before.”

Dobbs asked him what did they do when a pilot showed up.

“In the tradition of Southern hospitality we offer them something to eat and drink,” he said. “It usually smooths things over. We are a young, scrappy start-up operation trying to figure things out.”

“We don’t want you to think we are backing you up against a wall,” Council Member Thomas said. “We just want to be fair to everyone.”

Bourguignon said he’d like for the flight school to be in the big hangar. “I’d also like the peace of mind with a three-year contract,” he said. “If Craig told me we could be in the big hangar for $700 to $1,000 a month we would plant our flag there.”

Stapleton said he thought the big hangar could be ready in a few weeks.

Stapleton added that a major need existed to get jet fuel at the airport. He said he’d been talking to people who would invest over a million dollars in building a new hangar at the airport but would not do it without jet fuel being based there.

Selling jet fuel is where the big money is at for an airport like Lanett. “The small planes will use between eight and 12 gallons an hour,” he said, “but the jets that could be landing here can use between 150 to 200 gallons an hour. I’ve been talking to someone who would spend $1.5 million to build a hangar out there if we have jet fuel.”

In the 6 p.m. session, the council approved a contract to do this. It will be going to Rebel Services, LLC of Ripley, Mississippi. The city’s engineering consultant, Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, recommended them. They will be building a jet fuel farm at Lanett Regional.

Kevin Williams, a civil engineer with GM&C, talked to the council about some needed improvements that will be taking place over the next two years at the airport. He said that the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) would be working with the city this year to rehabilitate an existing apron off the runway. This will provide more tie-down space – something people who want to base planes at an airport are looking for. This could be followed up next year with a bigger project funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In other business, the council renewed a line of credit with Renasant Bank. It’s not to exceed $300,000, and Mayor Jamie Heard and City Clerk/Treasurer Deborah Gilbert are the designated signatories.

Two youth basketball teams were recognized for their outstanding play in the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association’s district tournaments. Both the boys team and the girls team brought home trophies. The boys team will be playing in the state tournament this weekend in Tuscaloosa. They made it to the district finals before losing to Opelika.

Council Member Malone asked Richard Casner of the Lanett Police Department if the city had an effective ordinance on dogs running loose in the city. Malone said he had seen some of this and was concerned that it posed dangers to city residents. Casner said he had seen it too and that part of the problem is there are times when Lanett reaches its limit on dogs being taken at the local animal shelter. In those situations, the city’s animal control officer can’t take any dogs there. “We need to do something,” Malone said. “We have dogs running wild.”

Casner said the animal control officer had written three tickets last week to dog owners in Lanett who had been letting their dogs run loose.

“This is a nuisance,” Malone said. “I’ve gotten complaints from people about dogs coming into their yards.”

Several members of the council commended the city’s electrical department on having quickly responded to some minor power outages in Saturday night’s storm. They also thanked the Restoration Committee for the work they do in picking up litter off the city streets. They have cleanups on the first Saturday of every month. Any Lanett resident can join in. They meet outside city hall at 9 a.m.