Airport commission accepts $221,400 consultant fee, forwards $226,900 grant application for environmental review

The Gardner City Airport Commission voted to accept a consultant fee of $221,400 and to forward a $226,900 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant application to Mayor Nicholson for city funding of an environmental assessment and obstruction analysis.

Commission members approved the measure after staff described differences between a third-party independent fee estimate and the consultant’s revised proposal. "The independent fee estimate came in at $245,550, and Gail's final numbers... came in at $221,400," the airport planner said, noting the two figures fell within FAA guidance for reasonable variances after revisions.

The commission's vote authorizes the airport to include the consultant fee, the independent estimator’s $4,000 charge and a $1,500 estimate for sponsor administration (public notices and meeting costs) in the total grant request. The presenter said those line items produce a grant total of $226,900 and described a proposed cost share where the FAA would provide the majority of funding and the state and city would each cover a small local share. "So what I need is a motion to vote on passage of funding," the airport planner said before commissioners voted to approve the action.

Why it matters: the environmental assessment and obstruction analysis are required under FAA environmental rules for federally obligated airports and are a prerequisite for certain capital projects, including approach clearing and perimeter fencing. Staff said completion of the assessment would allow the airport to secure federal funding eligibility for those projects and to document whether a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate.

Scope and consultants: the commission heard that the environmental assessment will include obstruction analysis, wetland delineation, wildlife and ecological studies, preparation of drawings and public outreach. The planner identified subconsultants named in the fee materials: an independent estimator led by Susan Winslow (name provided in the meeting), New Earth Ecological Consulting for environmental resource work and GZA GeoEnvironmental for wetland delineation; the primary contract work will be performed by the consultant identified in the materials as Gail Associates.

Staff explained the independent fee-estimating process required by FAA procurement rules: the airport provides a scope and the consultant and the independent estimator each submit a task-level spreadsheet assigning hours and staff to each task; if the two totals differ by more than the FAA-recommended variance (about 10 percent), the parties rework the proposals. In this case the independent estimate originally exceeded the consultant’s fee; following revisions the parties arrived at the $221,400 figure.

Timeline and deliverables: staff said the FAA issued an approval letter for the airport layout plan in late February and that, if the grant is awarded as expected, award notifications typically arrive in August. The planner estimated the environmental assessment process could take about a year to 18 months after grant award, and described the final environmental document as likely to be a sizable report with appendices ("probably about a hundred page document," staff said). The wildlife hazard site visit — a separate two-day study required to assess wildlife attractants and to support fencing decisions — is expected this spring.

Budget and cost-share: staff presented the following budget-related figures as part of the explanation: the consultant fee of $221,400; a $4,000 fee for the independent estimator; $1,500 for sponsor administration; and a total grant request of $226,900. The presenter stated the FAA share would be the majority (described in the meeting as 95 percent) and that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division (MassDOT Aeronautics) and the city would each cover the remaining local share; final city funding requires approval by Mayor Nicholson.

Next steps: with the commission vote the staff will submit the grant application before the FAA’s deadline window the presenter described, and follow up with Mayor Nicholson for the city’s funding approval. The commission noted the next regular meeting is scheduled for April 2.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved the motion to accept the consultant fee of $221,400 and to forward the $226,900 AIP grant application to the mayor for funding (final approval by the mayor required). The meeting record shows the motion approved by the commission (three affirmative votes reported).