Warsaw Aviation Board Hears Update On Power Lines Project
May 13, 2020 at 1:21 a.m.
By David [email protected]
Mary Kerstein, project manager for CHA, the Warsaw Municipal Airport’s contracted aviation engineering company, said they’ve been holding weekly conference calls with AEP (American Electric Power). When the COVID-19 pandemic started, she said there was some difficulty staying in touch with AEP, but that’s since improved, and the discussion has gone forward.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the city a $6.3 million supplemental grant in November for phase one of the Warsaw Airport runway extension. Phase one includes the lowering of the electrical power lines, and the grant will cover the entire cost of the project.
AEP is finalizing its construction pricing, and Kerstein said CHA is expecting to hear back on that in the next week or so. She said AEP provided final locations of new towers, and that information was shared with the FAA. The new towers will have to be lit.
“We’re moving along. The first thing we’re trying to get from AEP is that construction pricing,” she said. After that, the big hurdle will be to get a contract in place with AEP.
Board President Jay Rigdon asked about the possibility of any delays. Kerstein said she spoke with the FAA, which is aware of the situation, and she hoped it wouldn’t take very long to review the tower plans especially since the FAA reviewed it previously.
On the runway, Kerstein said she received 90% of plans from Airport Manager Nick King, who received the plans from NGC, the airport’s previous engineering company. Those plans were thoroughly reviewed, she said, with about 150 comments. Tuesday morning, CHA received 100% of the plan and CHA is in the process of reviewing those plans, but is waiting on some information from NGC. Those documents will be reviewed in the next few days.
In order to get everything submitted to the FAA by the deadline for the grant, Kerstein said the tentative timeline is to do the first advertisement for bids on May 25, the second on June 1 with a prebid meeting on June 2. At the June meeting, the board will give approval for Rigdon to sign the grant application once bids are received. Bid opening is anticipated by June 18 so the paperwork can get to FAA by the grant application deadline of July 1.
King told the board they needed to approve a motion authorizing the bidding pursuant to the outline of the schedule. It was approved.
The only other item Mary mentioned was the preapplication the FAA asked for on the grant.
In another matter, King said the airport received $69,000 through the CARES Act from the FFA. He said he was allowed to sign the documentation and turn it in, and they didn’t need to immediately tell the FAA what the funds will be used for. However, he said the funding was created to help offset low fuel sales during the last few months due to COVID-19. Tentatively, he said the airport will use the funding for day-to-day operating expenses.
Board member Gene Zale said that was a good way to use that money. Board Vice President John Yingling made the motion for King to sign the documentation and use the funds for general day-to-day use, which was approved.
King noted that so far this year, due to the pandemic, the airport was $41,000 in the red due to lack of fuel sale. The $69,000 will help offset that loss.
In new business, King said administrative assistant Linda Seiss has officially fully retired. She came back part-time for now, but a retirement party will be held for her in a month or two, he said.
Also, King said the airport was in the last year for its farm cash lease. Tom Farms is renting two of the airport’s three parcels, and the airport has a memorandum of understanding with a farmer who is maintaining it and has rights to mow that for hay.
King said it was up to the board if they wanted to extend the lease or go out for rebid. He said Tom Farms would be willing to extend lease for another three years.
Board member Dan Robinson said it should be extended with farm prices being what they are, and Rigdon agreed. King will present the agreement to the board at its June meeting.
King said he’s had questions about the airport’s fueling policy. A couple customers and his staff members, in the last six months, were asking what constitutes an after-hours fueling.
If a plane needs fueled after hours, there is an extra $100 charge.
Robinson said if the employees haven’t left, even if it’s after closing, and don’t need to be called back, then it’s not after hours and the extra after-hours charge shouldn’t be billed. If the employees have left and need to be called back, then Robinson said the customer should be charged the extra after-hours expense.
King said, “That’s perfect. We’ll make it so.”
The next meeting is at 5:15 p.m. June 19 in city hall.
Mary Kerstein, project manager for CHA, the Warsaw Municipal Airport’s contracted aviation engineering company, said they’ve been holding weekly conference calls with AEP (American Electric Power). When the COVID-19 pandemic started, she said there was some difficulty staying in touch with AEP, but that’s since improved, and the discussion has gone forward.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the city a $6.3 million supplemental grant in November for phase one of the Warsaw Airport runway extension. Phase one includes the lowering of the electrical power lines, and the grant will cover the entire cost of the project.
AEP is finalizing its construction pricing, and Kerstein said CHA is expecting to hear back on that in the next week or so. She said AEP provided final locations of new towers, and that information was shared with the FAA. The new towers will have to be lit.
“We’re moving along. The first thing we’re trying to get from AEP is that construction pricing,” she said. After that, the big hurdle will be to get a contract in place with AEP.
Board President Jay Rigdon asked about the possibility of any delays. Kerstein said she spoke with the FAA, which is aware of the situation, and she hoped it wouldn’t take very long to review the tower plans especially since the FAA reviewed it previously.
On the runway, Kerstein said she received 90% of plans from Airport Manager Nick King, who received the plans from NGC, the airport’s previous engineering company. Those plans were thoroughly reviewed, she said, with about 150 comments. Tuesday morning, CHA received 100% of the plan and CHA is in the process of reviewing those plans, but is waiting on some information from NGC. Those documents will be reviewed in the next few days.
In order to get everything submitted to the FAA by the deadline for the grant, Kerstein said the tentative timeline is to do the first advertisement for bids on May 25, the second on June 1 with a prebid meeting on June 2. At the June meeting, the board will give approval for Rigdon to sign the grant application once bids are received. Bid opening is anticipated by June 18 so the paperwork can get to FAA by the grant application deadline of July 1.
King told the board they needed to approve a motion authorizing the bidding pursuant to the outline of the schedule. It was approved.
The only other item Mary mentioned was the preapplication the FAA asked for on the grant.
In another matter, King said the airport received $69,000 through the CARES Act from the FFA. He said he was allowed to sign the documentation and turn it in, and they didn’t need to immediately tell the FAA what the funds will be used for. However, he said the funding was created to help offset low fuel sales during the last few months due to COVID-19. Tentatively, he said the airport will use the funding for day-to-day operating expenses.
Board member Gene Zale said that was a good way to use that money. Board Vice President John Yingling made the motion for King to sign the documentation and use the funds for general day-to-day use, which was approved.
King noted that so far this year, due to the pandemic, the airport was $41,000 in the red due to lack of fuel sale. The $69,000 will help offset that loss.
In new business, King said administrative assistant Linda Seiss has officially fully retired. She came back part-time for now, but a retirement party will be held for her in a month or two, he said.
Also, King said the airport was in the last year for its farm cash lease. Tom Farms is renting two of the airport’s three parcels, and the airport has a memorandum of understanding with a farmer who is maintaining it and has rights to mow that for hay.
King said it was up to the board if they wanted to extend the lease or go out for rebid. He said Tom Farms would be willing to extend lease for another three years.
Board member Dan Robinson said it should be extended with farm prices being what they are, and Rigdon agreed. King will present the agreement to the board at its June meeting.
King said he’s had questions about the airport’s fueling policy. A couple customers and his staff members, in the last six months, were asking what constitutes an after-hours fueling.
If a plane needs fueled after hours, there is an extra $100 charge.
Robinson said if the employees haven’t left, even if it’s after closing, and don’t need to be called back, then it’s not after hours and the extra after-hours charge shouldn’t be billed. If the employees have left and need to be called back, then Robinson said the customer should be charged the extra after-hours expense.
King said, “That’s perfect. We’ll make it so.”
The next meeting is at 5:15 p.m. June 19 in city hall.
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