Aaron Parker, city project engineer, told the Airport Advisory Board the airport has several capital projects in design or construction and that staff are cobbling together funding from state grants, FAA programs and city cash to move them forward. He said the apron rehabilitation and Taxiway C work together total about $2.6 million, with roughly $150,000 in city match and multiple state and federal grants used for design and construction. Parker said two FAA awards — one from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Airport Improvement Program and another AIP program — each cover roughly half a million dollars of the project, and state grants cover additional portions. He also said the city received a Build Kansas grant of about $30,000 that contributes to the city match for the FAA BIL award.

Parker said Taxiway A lighting is advertised for bids with an estimated project cost around $640,000 and a single state grant providing the primary funding. He described a planned phasing that, according to the design consultant, will allow crews to work around existing lights and keep lighting functional until the switch-over to the new system. Parker said the project schedule anticipates bids opening on August 26, city commission authorization in mid-September and a notice to proceed in early October, with construction potentially beginning in October and lasting roughly 45 days for that work package.

On runway maintenance, Parker described a planned rehabilitation for sections of Runway 119 where longitudinal joints have been spalling. He said the work uses a specialized epoxy repair and resealing of joints; that project is entering design on Aug. 19 (design contract pending city commission acceptance) and would be funded by state grants with a city cash match. Parker said that runway rehab is expected to go to construction in the early part of the next year.

Board members and staff discussed schedule sensitivities. Parker and airport staff cautioned that spring construction is likely for the larger apron project, and that the apron contract includes 82 calendar days (about 2½ months) of work; because of weather and a large local event (World Cup host activity in June–July), staff said they intend to avoid construction during the tournament. Parker also said one project’s federal paperwork was only finalized recently and that the project therefore will hang until next spring despite grant execution.

Airport staff said they are coordinating the electrical cutover (Garver, the design firm, will assist with the modem/commissioning) and will ask the contractor and the airport electrician to develop a detailed cutover protocol before construction starts. Staff recommended a follow-up agenda item closer to construction to cover operational impacts and contractor staging on the airfield.

Parker credited multiple city offices with assembling grant funding and said staff will return with construction phasing and coordination details for board review before work begins.