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Jefferson County approves budget amendment, $1.41M change order for Watertown International Airport runway rehab
Summary
The Board of Legislators approved Resolution No. 193 to authorize agreements, accept FAA and NYSDOT grant funds, and amend the 2026 budget to accommodate a construction change order for the Watertown International Airport Runway 10-28 Rehabilitation — Phase 2. Roll call: 10 ayes, 5 absent.
The Jefferson County Board of Legislators on June 16 approved Resolution No. 193 to authorize agreements and amend the 2026 county budget tied to the Watertown International Airport Runway 10-28 Rehabilitation — Phase 2.
The resolution, sponsored by Legislator Philip N. Reed, Sr., authorizes the county to accept grant funds through the Federal Aviation AdministrationAirport Improvement Program (AIP) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and to enter into a contract change order with Rifenburg Construction, Inc. The resolution text describes unforeseen site conditions — including subbase materials that differed from those anticipated during design — that required modifications to the pavement design, such as adding an asphalt binder course, and added or replaced signage to ensure FAA compliance.
The construction change order described in the resolution is $1,413,595 to Rifenburg Construction, Inc. The same resolutionwhen listing the amended expenditure line in the 2026 budget records an expenditure amount of $1,413,597; both figures are taken from the resolution text as presented on the record. The resolution anticipates FAA grant funding in an amount not to exceed $1,283,899 and NYSDOT funding not to exceed $64,849, and it references an additional FAA grant of up to $1,062,306 and additional NYSDOT assistance of up to $59,017 expected in fiscal year 2027.
The budget amendment shown in the resolution increases federal airport capital project revenue by $1,283,899 and airport state aid by $64,849, and increases the Runway 10-28 reconstruction expenditure accordingly while decreasing a property acquisition/improvements expenditure by $64,849. The resolution also amends the county's six-year capital plan.
The motion was seconded by Legislator Robert D. Ferris. The roll-call vote on the record lists ayes as Doldo, McBride, Grant, Reed (Philip N. Reed, Sr.), Bartlett-Bearup, Ferris (Robert D. Ferris), Montigelli, Nabywaniec, Calarco, and Jareo; absent were Freeman, Cantwell, Potter, Boulio, and Johnson. The resolution passed.
The resolution references prior 2025 authorizations (Resolutions Nos. 237 and 238 of 2025) and authorizes the Chairman of the Board of Legislators to execute the described agreements and change orders on behalf of the county, subject to County Attorney review.
