Council approves $40,844 runway‑light purchase as airport staff outline installation and FAA checks

The Hammond City Council approved purchase of three runway identification lights for $40,844.19 from Allen Enterprises Inc., using airport grant funds that must be spent before year’s end.

City staff told the council the airport had roughly $68,000 in remaining grant funds and that the procurement would use about two‑thirds of that allocation. During public comment and technical discussion, a local navigation‑aids technician described differences between LED and xenon runway identifier lights and flagged installation issues the city must resolve before the lights are fully functional.

Chris Goodman, who identified himself as having 16 years of experience with navigational aids, told the council that LA 49 is the FAA certification for a runway identification light and explained the operational differences. “An LA 49 is an FAA certification for a particular type runway and identifier light,” Goodman said. He described omnidirectional and unidirectional equipment and noted that if equipment types are changed the FAA requires a flight check and certification after installation.

Goodman and staff also described prior field problems: on one runway the sync wire that makes paired lights flash together had been compromised, so replacing boxes alone might not restore full operation. Staff said the airport planned to coordinate installation with DOTD aviation electrical contractors and attempt to group any required FAA flight checks with other planned work to avoid multiple flight checks.

Council members discussed vendor quotes and responsiveness. One bidder (FlightLite) submitted a quote for a different equipment type than was requested, which staff recommended rejecting as nonresponsive; Allen Enterprises’ quote for the requested equipment was the lowest responsive bid. Lead times were discussed: staff said one vendor’s lead time was 12–14 weeks while another quoted 6–8 weeks for the (nonresponsive) model.

The council voted to approve the purchase; one council member recorded an abstention. Staff was directed to coordinate installation, confirm any additional wiring or sync‑loop repairs required, and schedule any FAA flight check as part of planned airport work.

The decision uses federal/grant funds and does not draw city funds for purchase. Council members asked staff to return with a firm installation schedule and any added costs (installation, flight check, underground wiring repair) if discovered.