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Weslaco officials outline causes of delay and a $536,381 KSA change-order estimate for $5 million hangar project
Summary
City and consultants described a sequence of design, site and funding issues that delayed a $5 million TxDOT-funded emergency-response hangar; staff said TxDOT only recently cleared reimbursement forms and a change-order (approx. $536,381) to extend consultant scope is on the regular agenda.
City staff and KSA consultants briefed the commission on June 3 about delays and scope changes to the TxDOT-funded $5 million hangar project at Weslaco's airport and described a proposed change order to carry the consultant scope through final design and construction.
Lily, the staff lead for the project, told the commission that the original KSA agreement, executed in November 2023, carried an estimated fee of $275,529 for preliminary analysis, conceptual design and early phases. "TxDOT advises the city that the hub portion is missing and our funding is at risk," Lily said, describing how TxDOT found a required component omitted from the original scope, which required a formal amendment and added time.
Why it matters: the hangar is designated as an emergency-response / EOC-convertible facility intended to improve regional response capacity; delays and cost increases affect the city's ability to move to construction and draw down state funds.
Staff also described a site relocation after stormwater and drainage needs made the originally proposed north-end site impractical; that move altered ramp/taxiway needs and increased construction exposure. City consultants said they worked with TxDOT and KSA for roughly 90 days to add the hub component and later brought design work back into an amendment approved in early 2025 to advance drainage construction services. The drainage work is funded in part through ARPA reimbursements, staff said.
On the change-order amount, staff discussed a figure in the workshop of about $536,381 to extend KSA's scope through final design, bidding and construction services. "We had a change order just to this phase, and we had not included all the way to the end," Lily said, adding that the figure contains estimates because construction bidding has not occurred.
Commissioners asked for specifics and for a return presentation with final design details; staff said TxDOT recently provided reimbursement forms and that the project now has a project number and is positioned to advance to final design and bidding. Randy Summers, airport-board chair, thanked staff and Representative Martinez for securing additional state funding that helped expand runway and emergency-response capacity.
What happens next: the change-order item (listed on the regular meeting agenda) will be brought forward for approval; staff said they will return with final design documents and more detailed cost breakdowns before the commission takes final action.
