AVIATORS PLUS NO LONGER INTERESTED IN TERMINAL BUILDING LEASE

Mark Whitehead Send an email April 13, 2021
15 671
  

People wanting to enjoy a meal at the Brenham Airport diner will have to wait longer now.  Brenham City Manager James Fisher sent an email Monday evening to City Council members and the Airport Advisory Board saying that Brent Nedbalek and Aviators Plus are no longer interested in leasing the terminal building and restaurant at the airport.  The lease agreement was approved by the Airport Advisory Board and brought to the City Council for approval at their March 25 meeting.   At that meeting, councilmember Adonna Saunders had questions as to why the rental rate was only $2500 per year and the item was tabled.  At the next council meeting April 1st, the lease agreement was again tabled when Adonna Saunders moved that a certain dollar amount of improvements be made to the city owned building by Aviators Plus.  The Council could not agree on a dollar amount, so the lease agreement was set to go back to the facility subcommittee to come up with the amount of improvements.

Nedbalek says Aviators Plus will continue to service planes as the only FBO at their facility at the south end of the airport.  The airport’s main terminal building was vacated in August of last year when Southern Flyer terminated their lease.

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Mark Whitehead Send an email April 13, 2021
15 671

15 Comments

  1. What Aviators Plus is not saying is that the requests he was making could have cost the city the loss of government AIP, (Airport Improvement Project) and RAMP, (Routine Airport Maintenance Program) grants totaling millions of dollars. The situation was more complex than just the rent, there are more issues and th3e city website has minutes on line of the agenda and contract proposal. For the record, it was 2,500 A YEAR to a company that has millions of dollars in aviation assets. The previous owners had a low rent but also provided over 80 thousand dollars in restaurant equipment. With one week till a workshop could be held, Aviators Plus decided to walk away. Councilwoman Saunders was being a good steward of our tax dollars. Thank you Councilwoman Saunders.

    1. That does not make sense. They helped the city get projects started for airport improvements and to help get funds to provide to the city for those. Giving one cheap rent but charging another more just because doesn’t seem right. Aviatorsplus looked like they were going to renovate the building and pay more to the city than the previous. The City would have benefited and made more money than before.

    2. Thank you BA for the insight on this situation. And thank you Councilwoman Saunders for asking questions and looking after our tax dollars. Proud to have you on our city council. I know you will stand up and be fair.

  2. Something tells me Nedbalek is making the smarter move here than the City. I don’t know him, but if he’s an astute businessman then he’s not going to sign into a contract with terms that aren’t amenable. Smart move on his part.

  3. With all the bad press Fisher had been involved in lately, it comes as no surprise that someone wised up and decided not play along with him

  4. Brent has been a great asset to the Airport.He would have made the Diner a place for great food and a great place to watch planes come and go. Always enjoyed Sundays there. Just what is the problem with the City?

  5. Thank you Adonna Saunders. We need to keep our City leaders honest. 2,500 for a year lease is fishy.
    MARY

    1. Good for Aviators Plus! The previous tenet, Southern Flyer, only paid $50 a month and the city paid for a portion of the electric bills.

  6. This is what happens when Elected official put a demand on a private business… then drag their feet. NOW the taxpayers will have to pay for the remodel/improvements of a new tenant….HOPEFULLY it wont sit vacant too long. FOOLISH CITY COUNCIL – YOU HAD AN ONSITE TENANT AVAILABLE TO RENT….and you blew it up !!!

    1. For $200 a month, taxpayers were still paying, that’s basically giving Aviators the building ……. The city owns the building so they’d pay for any improvements that were to be done regardless of the tenant………

  7. Seems like Brent Nedbalek and Aviators Plus have wised up to James Fisher and the antics that come along with being involved with the city…. Kudos to Aviators Plus, many many more places to choose from.

    1. I’m just simply sayin reading the article it seems like this one was more on city council with Saunders in the lead than Fisher. It says that council couldn’t agree on a dollar amount. Just an observation is all.

  8. Good ole greed on the City Council once again….. Good job Fisher and Saunders….. Keep Ruining Brenham…

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