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Bartlesville council approves hangar deals, citing state grants and BDA funding
Summary
Council approved agreements and construction contracts to add maintenance/repair hangars at the Bartlesville Municipal Airport using a 40% state hangar grant and BDA funds for the rest; the city will formally own the hangars and lease them to the Bartlesville Development Authority for $1 a year to satisfy grant rules.
Bartlesville City Council on Aug. 4 approved a plan that will let the Bartlesville Development Authority (BDA) fund and operate new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar space at the Bartlesville Municipal Airport while the city retains ownership of the buildings.
Councilman Kirkpatrick summarized the arrangement and Micah and Batch Elder of city/BDA staff explained that the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aviation (ODAA) awarded a state hangar grant that will fund 40% of construction costs, with the BDA covering the remaining 60% from its real-estate fund. Batch Elder said the grant must be made to the city, so "the city will own the facility even though the BDA is paying for it," and the city will lease the completed building to the BDA for a nominal $1 annually so state and FAA rules are satisfied.
The city’s consultant Park Hill and staff recommended awarding construction contracts for a separate box-hangar project and associated apron work. Park Hill identified Caine (spelled in bid documents as Caine/Kane) Construction Services as the low responsive bidder for the box-hangar at $5,011,059.66; council approved that award. Staff said an additional state pavement grant will cover roughly 95% of apron paving costs tied to the hangar, reducing the BDA’s share.
Public comment included praise for the BDA’s economic development work; Michelle Griffin, who earlier urged unbundling the consent agenda, cited the proposed $1 lease and asked for more transparency around tenant selection and valuation. City staff and council responded with project details and noted the city will own the building and the BDA will operate it and reinvest rental proceeds into further economic development projects.
The hangar and related taxiway/apron projects are funded by a combination of the ODAA hangar grant, a state paving grant and BDA real-estate funds; staff said the city will not expend general-fund dollars for the construction. Council approved the bid awards and related agreements as presented. The city said it will continue outreach as tenants and sublease arrangements are finalized.
