We all recognize that in the center of Breezy Point we have
an airport. This is a private airport
being owned and managed by an association of individuals that use it. Periodically it is used by other pilots who
are visiting. It is also periodically used
for emergency medical transports. Breezy
Point has a paramedic program with two of our police officers providing this
service. The area is also served by
North Memorial Ambulance service. Both
of these emergency responders have an occasion to call for air transport.
With air transport the helicopters will land anywhere they
can but they prefer to use the airport.
It has adequate space, good access, and is centrally located. The association has been generous in allowing
this use.
Recently the airport association asked for help in plowing
the runway. They were willing to pay to
have the city provide this service.
Their concern is with large snow events. They have been plowing with a pickup
truck. With deep or heavy snows it
becomes more difficult to move it away from the runway. A pickup truck with a plow doesn’t have
enough weight or power to manage large events.
Keeping the runway open and adequately wide is important for the safety
of pilots. With landings, wings need to
be kept as level as possible and high snow banks next to the runway can be
dangerous.
The City Council did have concerns about providing this
service. Competing against private
industry was one. They also had concerns
about what liability the city would incur.
They wanted to be held harmless from the airport association concerning the
plowing. They also wanted an agreement
with them detailing these issues as well as the cost of providing the service
in a written form. In the end a majority
of the council voted to work with the airport in plowing. The airport will pay a minimum of $150 per
time or that rate per hour if it takes longer than an hour. The airport will
request plowing when desired.
