Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King, pictured left, gives Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners President Dan Robinson, pictured right, an explanation on some paperwork at Monday’s board meeting. Behind them on the screen is Mary Kerstein, of CHA Consulting. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW – Until they’re aware of when some final punch list items will be completed on the power line lowering project, the Warsaw Municipal Airport is withholding some final dollars to AEP.

On the runway 27 obstruction mitigation project, CHA Consulting Project Engineer Mary Kerstein told the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners on Monday, Oct. 13, all the documentation was sent to the Federal Aviation Administration and they’re still waiting for the FAA to close out that grant, which was around $7 million. Airport Manager Nick King said there are two or three punch list items that AEP has made known they need to finish up.

“We are withholding the final payment of $383,000. We have received the money from the FAA, but this project – because it’s utility – doesn’t have the typical retainage fees in it,” he said. “I don’t have a problem sending the payment, but they’ve not told us in writing when they’re planning to complete the punch list items, and we have let them know the last few meetings that we’re not sending that payment until we know when it’s going to happen.”

Board President Dan Robinson asked what the punch list items were, and King replied they included “some repair work that needs to be done out there, there are some warranty list items … on their end they need to come out and check. They are going to have a crew on site and there’s some reflective balls that need to be rehung, they’re not put up yet. So there’s just a couple things like that.”

King said they knew AEP wasn’t going to do them until this fall, and that was OK, but the airport hasn’t been notified in writing when they’re going to be completed. He said they may even be done with the work by the aviation board’s next meeting, which is at 5:15 p.m. Nov. 11. For the taxiway B rehabilitation project, Kerstein reported they did receive an FAA grant. She presented a CHA task order for an amendment to the design for construction phase services.

The project will be partially funded by FAA (95%). The other 5% will be equally split between the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and local. The total project amount for CHA’s portion is $277,000, with the local share being $6,925. Kerstein said that’s just for construction phase services.

King said, “Last meeting, you guys approved for Dan to accept that grant if it came through. We did receive that grant, so we’ll be moving ahead with the reconstruction of that taxiway, hopefully, first thing next spring.”

The board approved the task order. Kerstein said they will work with Phend & Brown, the low bidder on the project, to get a contract ready for the board to approve at their next meeting. Moving on, Kerstein told the board CHA did send to King the Disadvantage Business & Enterprise (DBE) report for the board’s review. CHA will be working through that with the airport.

King explained the DBE goal through the airport is up for review. CHA finalized that and he said he’ll have that reviewed and on the board’s agenda next month. He asked Kerstein if the board needed to approve that at Monday’s meeting or if they need to do that in November. Kerstein said it may need to be at Monday’s meeting.

“The reason that we were waiting, the goals from the FAA have changed, but they don’t go into effect until after our DBE is due, so we have to approve this, this month, this DBE goal, and then this next month, we’re going to have to approve it again, but we can’t have a gap in there,” King said.

Kerstein said the airport’s three-year goal is 4.28%. King said there have been some challenges now with what is and what is not considered legal under DBE as there are some legal challenges in the federal courts.

“This is underneath the current rules, but those rules are changing,” he said.

“As we speak, really,” Kerstein agreed.

King said as soon as they get all the new language in, they’ll have to update all of their goals for their DBE program at that time.

“And all that is, is during our federal projects, anytime we’re receiving money, currently, there’s a metric where you have to hit – so much percentage of your federal monies have to go to a DBE company,” King said.

The board approved for Robinson to sign the report.

On the runway 9-27 rehabilitation, Kerstein said they needed to move forward with that construction so grooving occurred last week. This week, Wednesday, Oct. 15, is the tentative date for final paint markings, but they’re still waiting to hear back on the paint contractor. She presented an invoice from CHA for $17,028.56 and one from Phend & Brown for $658,424.81, all local share, both of which the board approved. King said the runway 9-27 rehabilitation project is the one the city and county partnered on. Under the manager’s report, King brought up they’re getting close to the end of the year and their one-year extension contract with CHA, to serve as the airport’s consultant, is coming to an end.

He said he was very happy with the work they’ve received over the last five years with CHA. If the board also is happy, King told the board they could talk with CHA about entering another contract for consulting services, which is typically five years. He recommended that they go forward with a contract with CHA for another five years. If the board doesn’t agree with a five-year contract with CHA, King said they then will need to go out to bid on the consulting contract shortly, but he said he didn’t think that wouldn’t be a wise decision at this time because they have too many projects moving forward with positive momentum.

Board member Gene Zale said he was “very satisfied” with CHA. Robinson and Board Member Steven Smilay agreed. King told Kerstein if CHA could work on that contract and have something for the board at their next meeting, that would be great. She said she’ll add that to the list.

In final business from King, he told the board a complete analysis of all of the airport’s hangar tenants has been completed. He said there were a few that have not met the airport’s standards for aeronautical use, a list of those tenants has been compiled and he’d like to send them a letter, with the city attorney proofreading the letters to make sure everything is okay. The board approved the letters to be sent out, with the city attorney’s review.