HomeMy WebLinkAboutLaurel Airport Authority - Shane Linse 2025 - ResignedShane Linse
P.O. Box 80193
Billings, MT 59108
Shanemt40@qmail.com
March 23, 2025
Mayor Dave Waggoner
115 West 151 Street
Laurel, MT 59044
citymayor(cc�.la u rel. mt. gov
Re: Resignation from Laurel Airport Authority Board
Mayor Waggoner,
Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from my position as Chairman and board
member of the Laurel Airport Authority effective immediately.
I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to work for the citizens of Laurel to
improve the airport. I have served on the board since my appointment on September 20,
2016 by the previous Mayor Mace and the Laurel City Council.
I wish we could have meet when I took over as Chairman to go over the issues that I
inherited from the 2 previous chairmen.
Since we could not meet, here are the accomplishments that I was able to complete as
Chairman for the past 2+ years:
1. Completed a FAA Audit compliance issue adherence and corrective actions from a
mandatory Federal audit that was 6 years past due putting our past and future loans
and grants in jeopardy. I worked with Mr. Metz on this.
2. Negotiated a $20K reduction in audit expenses with Mr. Metz's assistance for the
Federal audit above.
3. Worked on resolving airport lease issues, renegotiations, and expired leases with
Mr. Metz.
4. Had over a year legal battle with Brett Mckinney and Tom Boyce over not paying
rent on their non -aviation lease on 2020 Fox Road lease for 3 years. They eventually
paid and foreclosure proceedings dropped.
5. Airport lease payments had not been billed for over i year and many leases had not
been paid for several years.
6. Collected over $150,000.00+ of unpaid hangar lease, farm leases, mill payments,
and grant payments that where not done by previous Chairmen.
7. Completed $100,000.00+ of unfinished grant and reimbursement requests to pay the
airport back.
8. Paid off the $207,000.00+ of debt incurred on the 2017 Crosswind runway project.
9. 1 will be leaving the airport debt free with all receivables to the airport paid in
full.
10. Installed a new $50,000.00 automatic main entrance gate; utilizing state grant funds
for 95% of the project.
11. Installed a new $40,000.00 AWOS3, aviation weather station upgrade for airport;
utilizing state grant funds for 100% of the project.
12. Upgraded the infrastructure for the AWOS3 system to integrate with online aviation
flight planning programs, this will help bring more general aviation traffic into the
Laurel Airport
13. Received grant funding for 4 new FAA Weather cameras and had them installed.
14. Cut contracts that saved the airport over $7,500 per year for work that the volunteer
staff already where doing.
15. Created a courtesy car agreement for legal protection for the Laurel airport.
16. Set up a preventive maintenance program for the automatic entrance gate and
airport's owned equipment.
17. Established Board training for all the Board members and anyone else interested in
how to work/volunteer in a legal Montana State Board.
18. Completed an $250,000.00 airport master plan project required every 10 years by
FAA completion to continue federal airport funding; utilizing federal grant funds for
90% of the project.
19. Completed an $394,000.00 pavement maintenance project 2024 for all active
runways and taxiways; utilizing federal grant funds for 95% of the project.
20. Completed a new 50-year lease option for aviation leases; to bring in more hangar
development and aviation related activity.
21. Started a $1,000,000.00 project for 2025-rebuild of entrance road into airport,
utilizing federal grant funds for 95% of the project.
22. Compliance with workers comp for airport volunteer workforce, no such coverage
was in place which created liability for the airport.
23. Property insurance audit on existing airport property and expanded coverage to
protect airports property investment.
24. Updated FAA required Aircraft registration database for FAA funding requirements,
this is required annually for FAA funding requests.
25. Worked with the FAAAirports Compliance Division to resolve an informal Grant
Assurances complaint regarding economic discrimination, unequal application of the
established airport Minimum standards, rules and regulations and leases. Developed
a FAA Compliance plan, with unanimous board approval; regarding the same, which
if not resolved puts future and past federal funding at risk for the airport.
Mayor Waggoner, I cannot stress enough that the FAA informal compliance plan which was
developed must be followed by the current Board as well as the Laurel Airport established
rules, regulations, minimum standards, and lease requirements. Otherwise, the Board
exposes the airport to unnecessary legal fees, potential liability and can jeopardize the FAA
Federal funding that the airport desperately needs. I cannot say with any certainty that the
current appointed board has the same intentions and is in part, reasoning for my
resignation.
The airports tenant's, user's, leaseholders and public are better served when we as a
community and an airport, abide by the same rules and regulations.
Sincerely,
Shane Linse