Airport board approves Apron A2 reconstruction contract; staff cite risk of sub‑base failure, FAA funding expected

The airport district board voted to award a contract for reconstruction of Apron A2, a pavement area staff says has been identified for sub‑base repairs and is at risk of critical failure from current aircraft loads.

Staff told the board that engineering plans and a public bidding process were completed in March and April, and that McGuire & Hester submitted the low bid in the sealed process. Staff also said the project will use a combination of sponsor participation and Federal Aviation Administration funds; the board directed staff to return with firm financing quotes at the next meeting.

Staff said Apron A2 is on the district pavement maintenance plan and has “sub base failures by 2026,” making reconstruction urgent. Design engineer Damien Brownlee described the apron as “at risk” and said the construction and current aircraft use together create a heightened risk of what staff characterized as a potential critical failure.

Engineering and bidding

District staff told the board that engineering was finished on March 12 and biddable plans were published. A pre‑bid meeting was held March 27 and sealed bids were opened April 16. In staff materials, the low bid was listed as McGuire Hester at $4,000,860.79; consultants reviewed and found that bid satisfactory and compliant with the published specifications. Staff presented two schedules for the work — a single‑stage reconstruction (Schedule A) and a two‑stage approach (Schedule B) intended to preserve part of the ramp during a busy July period — and recommended moving forward with Schedule A after applying their schedule and price criteria.

Costs, funding and financing

During discussion staff said additional items not in an earlier October cost estimate had increased the project’s overall projected cost. Staff stated an updated sponsor participation estimate of $4,100,000 and a total project cost of $5,500,000. Board members asked about financing; staff said the district expects to seek a hard financing quote based on the award and will return with firm financing terms at the next meeting. Staff also described two FAA funding buckets: $1.63 million held in an FAA account associated with the district and $249,000 in entitlement funds, and said those amounts would be available on a reimbursement basis after the district files required applications.

Board action and procedural record

A board member moved “to award McGuire and Hester Company the contract for reconstruction of Apron A2 as presented for a contract price of $4,860,079 and authorize the general manager to sign the necessary documents for the contract award of the project.” The motion was seconded and the board voted in favor; the chair announced the motion carried. (The staff presentation earlier listed a low bid of $4,000,860.79; the motion language in the record stated a contract price of $4,860,079.)

Board members also discussed project components such as a planned heating system on the north side, which staff said is included in the updated cost estimates at about $600,000. Board members requested further detail on financing options and a final cost summary to be returned at the next board meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved (voice vote). The consent approval was recorded without roll call detail in the transcript. - Apron A2 reconstruction contract award: approved (motion as quoted above; vote announced as carried). The staff packet listed the low bid as $4,000,860.79; the motion recited a contract price of $4,860,079. - General manager performance bonus: approved. The board announced that following a closed session the board decided to award the general manager a bonus of $12,453 and moved to approve that amount; the motion passed by voice vote.

What’s next

Staff said it will seek a firm financing quote and return to the board with financing terms and an updated cost breakdown at the next meeting. If the board’s award is signed and the district proceeds as discussed, staff said the district will file FAA reimbursement applications as work begins and will pursue the financing option recommended by the consultant.

Ending

Board members emphasized the need for clear financing numbers before finalizing out‑of‑pocket commitments and requested that staff return with those figures at the next meeting. No construction schedule was adopted in the meeting record beyond references to July as a peak operational period considered when comparing Schedule A and B.