With a good report card from a recent federal inspection and a new manager in place, the Martha’s Vineyard Airport commission struck a series of upbeat notes at its monthly meeting this week.

Commission chairman Myron Garfinkle reported that an annual inspection conducted earlier this month by the Federal Aviation Administration stood in sharp contrast to a year ago.

“Last year we had 30 discrepancies that resulted in a letter of investigation,” Mr. Garfinkle told commissioners at the meeting Thursday in the West Tisbury Library. “This year we had three discrepancies.” The three issues flagged involved the condition of the runways, which Mr. Garfinkle said are aging and need to be replaced, and procedures for closing the airport during inclement weather.

Three airport commissioners participated in FAA inspection briefings. The annual inspection became a flash point of controversy last year when former airport manager Sean Flynn denied commissioners access to the briefings. Mr. Flynn left the job last December following a prolonged period of tension, internal disputes and management problems at the airport.

Thursday was the first meeting for Ann Crook, the new manager at the airport who began work last week.

Manager Ann Crook began work on May 6.

Steve Myrick

Manager Ann Crook began work on May 6.

Steve Myrick

Ms. Crook outlined several initiatives she is already planning, including a better system for paid parking at the airport. Currently parking fees are paid on an honor system with money placed in envelopes and deposited in a drop box by drivers upon exiting the airport.

“Typically, a parking lot is one of the main sources of revenue,” Ms. Crook said. “That’s not the case at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport, partly because our parking is on the honor system. There’s a better way to collect revenue.”

She also said she hopes to put in place a passenger facility fee, which will bring revenue into the airport without increasing the cost of flights. The $4.50 facility fee is already being charged to customers who fly into the airport, but has not been collected. Ms. Crook said the first two airports on a route are allowed to collect the fee. The Vineyard airport has never taken advantage of the fee, allowing it to go to Logan Airport in Boston.

Ms. Crook estimated the fee could generate more than $200,000 in revenue annually.

“Almost every airport collects a facility fee,” she said. “Passengers won’t be paying more, we’re just going to get our portion. The money is already out there but it’s been going to Logan Airport instead of us.”

Ms. Crook is also preparing a request for proposals to outsource information technology at the airport, previously an in-house job.

In other business, the commission has awarded a conditional letter of approval on a bid for construction of a new aircraft rescue and fire fighting building. The winning bidder is J.K. Scanlan, the same firm that built the new Oak Bluffs fire station and a number of other public projects.

Construction of the $10.5 million building, which will also house snow removal equipment is scheduled to begin this fall.

Meanwhile, the airport commission is still in the process of completing a three-year employment contract for Ms. Crook.

The contract has not been signed yet, but under the terms of a draft provided to the Gazette by Mr. Garfinkle, she will be paid $145,000 annually, plus a monthly housing allowance of $1,100 for the first year, plus moving expenses and the use of an airport vehicle for official business. The draft contract requires her to live in Dukes County.