After years plagued by empty ideas and stagnant growth, the
Hollister Municipal Airport has a new leader in Mike Chambless who
has been instrumental in taking major steps forward there as of
late and has the right attitude to build a more modern, attractive
facility.
After years plagued by empty ideas and stagnant growth, the Hollister Municipal Airport has a new leader in Mike Chambless who has been instrumental in taking major steps forward there as of late and has the right attitude to build a more modern, attractive facility.
With the departure of Bill Gere in February 2008, officials appointed Chambless to a temporary manager role before recently naming him joint director of the airport and the code enforcement division.
In that relatively short time, Chambless has carried a full plate and has plenty of examples to show he has the right attitude and work ethic to take this airport to new heights.
-The city finally is moving ahead on a long-awaited five-year airport layout plan, a requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration with serious potential as a development tool.
-Cal Fire has agreed to a new 30-year lease and to build a new air-attack base along with it. The state agency’s presence so close to home offers an invaluable and inexpensive safety benefit to local citizens, and the lease ensures those firefighters will be here for another three to four decades.
-CALSTAR has agreed to place a permanent operation at the airport and expects to move in this summer. Combined with Cal Fire’s base, they should solidify the airport’s standing as a safety hub in the region.
-Infrastructural improvement projects and maintenance are priorities. Chambless almost immediately rectified an array of missing signs and missing lights at the airport. He also tightened the belt on many other overlooked violations at the airport.
-Some of the work on the airport’s list of improvement projects in the pipeline includes repair to the runway and hangar roofs, new slurry seal and repaving to roads on the grounds, along with a new security system.
That is just a snapshot of Chambless’ progress as head of the airport. And all the while, he still has maintained his responsibilities as the code enforcement office director.
With his successor in that role on the job as of this month, Chambless should have even more time to focus on bigger-picture problems in both areas.
We expect continued success because he has the right attitude for the job and understands his place. Most important, he gets things done and has accomplished far more in a year than the prior manager did in three years.
