CONTRA COSTA COUNTY  
Committee Meeting Minutes - Final  
Aviation Advisory Committee  
10:00 AM  
Thursday, September 11, 2025  
Buchanan Field Airport  
181 John Glenn Drive, Suite 100, Concord  
1.  
Roll Call and Introductions  
Chair Stappen called the hybrid meeting at 10:00 a.m. In attendance were Greg Baer, Judith Evans, Steve  
Kowalewski, Will Nelson, and Daniel Barrios.  
Gareth Ashley, Christopher Baker, Peter Baker, Emily Barnett,  
Richard Celestre, Elizabeth Leddy, Keith McMahon, Eric  
Meinbress, and Shawn Stappen  
Present  
Vincent Salimi  
Absent  
Aviation Advisory Committee Attendance Roster  
1.a.  
25-3713  
AAC Attendance Roster 9-11-25  
Attachments:  
2.  
Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this  
agenda (speakers may be limited to two minutes).  
Director Baer announced that Contra Costa County Airports applied for and received two FAA grants for  
pavement management studies. Buchanan Field Airport will receive over $201,000, and Byron Airport will  
receive a little over $63,000. The consultant for this project will be Mead and Hunt and the studies consist of  
full pavement inspections of both airports.  
Approval of the Aviation Advisory Committee's May 8, 2025, Meeting  
Minutes  
3.  
25-3714  
AAC Meeting Minutes 5-8-25  
McMahon  
Attachments:  
Motion:  
Second:  
Barnett  
Aye:  
Ashley, Baker, Baker, Barnett, Leddy, McMahon, Meinbress,  
and Stappen  
Absent:  
Salimi  
Late:  
Celestre  
Passed  
Result:  
4.  
Consider Consent Items  
Accept relevant Staff Reports for May, June, July and August 2025  
4.a.  
25-3715  
May 2025 Staff Reports  
June 2025 Staff Reports  
July 2025 Staff Reports  
August 2025 Staff Reports  
McMahon  
Attachments:  
Motion:  
Second:  
Ashley  
Aye:  
Ashley, Baker, Baker, Barnett, Celestre, Leddy, McMahon,  
Meinbress, and Stappen  
Absent:  
Result:  
Salimi  
Passed  
Accept the Airport Noise and Statistics Report for April, May, June, and  
July 2025  
4.b.  
25-3716  
Noise Abatement Charts April 2025  
Noise Abatement Stats April 2025  
Operations April 2025  
Attachments:  
Noise Abatement Charts May 2025  
Noise Abatement Stats May 2025  
Operations May 2025  
Noise Abatement Charts June 2025  
Noise Abatement Stats June 2025  
Operations June 2025  
Noise Abatement Charts July 2025  
Noise Abatement Stats July 2025  
Operations July 2025  
Motion:  
Second:  
Celestre  
Leddy  
Aye:  
Ashley, Baker, Baker, Barnett, Celestre, Leddy, McMahon,  
Meinbress, and Stappen  
Absent:  
Result:  
Salimi  
Passed  
5.  
Discussion/Action Items  
Advisory Body Training Requirements update  
5.a.  
Chair Stappen reported that on June 11, 2025, the Clerk of the Board sent out an updated Advisory Body  
Training Requirements memo, as well as an updated Training Certification form. All three training courses  
(Brown Act, Ethics, and Implicit Bias) must now be renewed every two years by both the advisory body  
appointees and the support staff designated to those bodies. Chair Stappen reminded the committee members  
to complete and submit the Training Certification, so this information can be included in the AAC Annual  
Training Report.  
5.b.  
Business Association Seat Update  
Director Baer explained that since the last meeting he has reached out to the original members of the Airport  
Business Association (PSA, Sterling, and Concord Jet), and there has been no desire to start a business  
association. Director Baer will provide a recommendation at the next meeting of what to do without a business  
association.  
Chair Stappen added that the Airport Business Association Seat is listed as one of the seats, however, is not  
defined in the Bylaws.  
Vice Chair McMahon expressed disappointment that there wasn’t a formalization of the Business Association  
Seat as he believes it would be an important voice on the AAC.  
5.c.  
Byron Neighbor Seat Update  
Airport Staff recruited for this seat for about a month and received no responses. Soon a second press release  
will go out to recruit for this position again. Director Baer requested the AAC members to let everyone know  
about this vacancy.  
Unleaded Fuel Update  
5.d.  
25-3718  
PSA UL94 Avgas Photos  
Attachments:  
Director Baer stated that there has been excellent progress made since the last meeting.  
Ian Mannix with Pacific States Aviation (PSA) reported that they have made substantial  
progress in their unleaded fuel initiative. They have completed the permitting process, and they  
are currently in the planning and procurement stage plus working on the secondary  
containment. Initially, PSA will only dispense the UL94 on their own fleet before selling to the  
general public.  
Member Barnett recognized PSA for their collaboration with Contra Costa County in taking the  
lead on acquiring UL94 and for testing on their own fleet before selling it commercially.  
Hangar Waitlists Update  
5.e.  
25-3719  
Hangar Waitlists Update  
Attachments:  
Director Baer provided an update on this item that he presented back in January 2025 and the  
committee voted to recommend the establishment of a Hangar Waiting List application fee and  
an annual fee. A Staff Report was submitted to the Board of Supervisors and the public hearing  
on this issue will be held on October 7, 2025. Since January 2025, the Hangar Waiting Lists  
applicant totals has been reduced by approximately 25%. This reduction helps with the ultimate  
goal which is to create more accurate lists.  
Member Barnett thanked the staff for their efforts with this project.  
5.f.  
Development Update  
Director Baer reported that the self-storage facility on Marsh Drive and Solano Way has been completed.  
The other project located on the west side on Sally Ride and Marsh Drive has been going through the  
entitlement process for quite some time and is now going through the 45-day Environmental Impact Report  
(“EIR”) public review period as part of its California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. The  
Federal environmental process has yet to be completed. After these reports are completed, the next steps  
would be to get approval from the Board of Supervisors and negotiate a long-term non-aeronautical ground  
lease.  
Airport Operations Staff Recruitment Update  
5.g.  
25-3720  
Airport Org Chart  
Attachments:  
Airport is currently recruiting for two (2) Airport Safety Officers (“ASO”) to handle operations,  
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (“ARFF”), and maintenance. Director Baer anticipates  
having both positions filled before the end of the year. The recruitment is for an ASO I and ASO  
II, but if there are qualified candidates, Airports could hire 2 ASO II’s.  
Clubhouse Landscape Improvements  
Clubhouse Landscape Improvements Photos  
5.h.  
25-3721  
Attachments:  
Greg Jacobs with EAA Chapter 393 gave a brief summary of the recent landscape improvements  
completed at the Clubhouse. Mr. Jacobs is in Design and Construction Management and is also  
a long-time pilot and reported that this project began with the desire to create more space to  
accommodate the Young Eagles Program. This project was submitted to Airports about four  
months ago and the cost was approximately $10,000, of which $4,000 came out of EAA funds  
and the rest from donations. EAA still would like to continue to work on other areas around the  
Clubhouse.  
Member Meinbress mentioned that Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadets also use the newly renovated  
area and are grateful for the improvements.  
Presentation - Concord Plaza Hotel Ownership  
Concord Plaza Hotel Presentation  
6.  
25-3722  
Attachments:  
Pat Mitchell with the Hogan Hospitality Group explained that this organization is a hotel  
management and a hotel operator company hired to manage the Concord Plaza Hotel. This  
hotel is undergoing an $18 million renovation and soon will be the first to have two Marriott  
hotel brands under one roof; the east side of the Atrium will be a Courtyard by Marriott, and the  
west side will be a Fairfield Inn by Marriott.  
Hotel general manager, Dana Cust and Hotel owner Kumar Sharma also spoke.  
Director Baer recapped that Airports has diligently worked with Mr. Kumar on the renovation as  
these will be beneficial for everyone involved, and he is looking forward to seeing the transient  
ramp used by pilots that are spending time at the hotel.  
Member Baker asked about the impact on the transient ramp due to the auto parking and hotel  
renovations. Director Baer advised that those issues will be addressed if/when it is needed.  
7.  
Potential Future Agenda Items  
Add Unleaded UL94 Fuel Flowage Chart  
8.  
Adjourn  
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:26 a.m. Moved by Richard Celestre to approve; seconded by  
Emily Barnett.  
The next meeting is currently scheduled for November 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM.