On the screen behind Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King is a list of the five invoices presented to the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners Tuesday by CHA Aviation Planning Leader Robert LaFayette (upper right on screen). Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Five invoices approved Tuesday, April 8, for the AEP power line lowering project east of the east-west runway at the Warsaw Municipal Airport are just the beginning of what’s to come before the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners next month.

A federal grant is paying for 90% of the approximate $7.6 million project, with the state paying 5% and the remaining 5% local.CHA Aviation Planning Leader Robert LaFayette noted the construction is ongoing. “There is something of note. So, the FAA grant period for this project is June. And what that means is we need to be closed out and money spent by the end of May to make this happen,” he said.

“The total value of the project is over $7 million. At this point, we’re spent up to about $2.4 million. That means at the next board meeting, we’re going to have some pretty hefty invoices that are basically going to be all the invoices from Kent Power, which is the construction  group.”

The $2.4 million includes the original $450,000 that was invoiced back in 2022. With that said, LaFayette presented two invoices from CHA — the airport’s engineering consulting group — and three from AEP for this month. The three invoices from AEP are for January, February and March. The two invoices from CHA were for $15,047.99, including a local share of $752.40; and $3,421.58, including a local share of $171.08. The three invoices from AEP were for $203,872.28, including a local share of $10,193.61; $35,958.35, including a local share of $1,797.92; and $150,522.15, including a local share of $7,526.11.

The county is helping out on the first invoice, LaFayette reminded the board. The board unanimously approved all five invoices in separate motions.

Board President Dan Robinson asked later what the current energizing date is for the power lines. LaFayette said that was originally scheduled for March 27, but was moved and he didn’t have a new date as of Tuesday’s meeting.

Robinson also asked about the de-mobilization date being at the end of May and if that was correct. LaFayette said May 30 was correct. “There is some pending work after that date that will happen through — I think September is what they said. But all of that will be preliminarily estimated and included in the final invoice for May 30,” LaFayette stated.

Airport Manager Nick King said, “What I understand, after May 30, the work that is done is, they have to basically go back and make sure that the connections, the torques are staying correct. There’s warranty work that has to be done. The construction itself will be done, it’s just the checking to make sure everything is staying.”

Robinson asked if AEP’s final invoice has to be submitted prior to May 30. King said that’s correct. If not, LaFayette stated, they don’t get paid and they fully understand that.

Moving on to the taxiway B rehabilitation project, LaFayette said CHA is working toward 75% design and that was submitted to King. Completion is anticipated to be this month.

Bids are anticipated to be in hand in mid May to make the FAA grant deadline in June. It’s hoped that the bids will be let prior to the board’s May 13 meeting. In that case, LaFayette asked the board for a motion to approve the advertising of and commence the public bidding phase for taxiway B.

The advertising of the bids was approved.LaFayette then presented an invoice from CHA for $22,385.70, with the local share being $1,119.28, for work completed in February, which the board approved.

Moving on to the runway 9-27 resurfacing, LaFayette said it’s anticipated that the bid opening will be in late April, with construction to be early fall. With that, along with getting the 90% design submitted to King, LaFayette asked the board to approve an invoice for $28,333.20, all of which is a local share. The invoice was approved.

Board member Gene Zale asked if they were getting any reimbursement for that. King said it was a local project. “Thank you, county, for the help with that.”

After LaFayette was done with all of his presentations, King told the board their five-year contract with CHA ended at end of last year.

“Already?” Robinson said in disbelief.

“Because of all these projects, they were aboard 2025. They’re still operating underneath those task orders and that contract, but — the board has to make this decision — I would recommend we extend this contract for one year, through the end of this year,” King said.

Meanwhile, King will work to figure out if they can only do one-year extensions or have other options. “I think, with the progress that we’re seeing and the projects we have currently in the pipeline, I would support another five years, at least. If the board would choose to do a one-year extension of time, we can do that as well. It’s just something we would have to do every January to continue that contract,” King said.

Board Vice President John Yingling said he was in favor of extending the contract for the remainder of this year. He said CHA has done a great job, but wondered if they didn’t have to go out for bids for the airport’s engineering firm. King said he knows they can do a one-year extension for this year and that will allow him to research the matter further.

Yingling made a motion to extend the contract with CHA for a year, with Zale seconded it. It passed 4-0.