Airport’s cross-wind runway rehab bid awarded

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The crosswind runway, 4-22, at the Hays Regional Airport is the one used most by small, lighter-weight planes and will soon undergo rehabilitation.

Hays City Commissioners accepted the recommended low bid for the project Thursday night.

City staff recommended the low bid from National Sealant & Concrete, LLC of Oconto, Wisconsin, in the amount of $651,672.19, contingent upon Federal Aviation Administration grant funding.

According to Hays Public Works Director I.D. Creech, approximately 90 percent of the cost would be reimbursed by the FAA, with the city responsible for the remaining 10 percent.

The base bid and two alternates include removal and replacement of failed pavement panels, repairing spalled joints, repainting the pavement marking and resealing of all the pavement joints on the runway.

The 2015 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) included $76,340 for the city’s share of te project. Based on design costs, bids received, and anticipated construction engineering costs, the city’s actual cost would be $86,780.09, which is $10,440 over what was identified in the 2015 CIP.

“The Airport Improvement Account has adequate funds to finance the project,” Creech assured commissioners.

In addition, the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) of $4.50 per ticketed passenger departing Hays Regional Airport on United Express will be used to reimburse the city’s share over time.

“Eventually, we’ll get all the money back that we’re spending, as long as we have commercial flights at the airport,” he added.

The crosswind runway will be closed during the duration of construction. The main runway will need to be closed for short periods of time while construction occurs within the safety area; however, commercial and other air service will continue during construction.

Commissioners also approved a construction engineering agreement, “a fancy term for ongoing, FAA-certified inspections,” Creech explained, with Burns and McDonnell, the city’s airport engineering consultant. Cost is $99,780, with 90 percent to be funded by the FAA and $9,978 to be funded by the city.

Assuming the timely award of an FAA grant, Creech said construction would be completed before the end of the year.

In other business:

Commissioners authorized offering for sale General Obligation Bonds for expenditures related to Golden Belt Estates 5th Addition and 46th Street 2nd Addition. City Finance Director Kim Rupp told the commission the approximate principal amount of bonds to be issued is $1,010,000, and the bonds are scheduled to mature in 15 years. The bid bond sale is scheduled for June 11.
Mayor Eber Phelps read a National Public Works Week proclamation and thanked the city’s public works employees for their service.
Phelps also read a National Bicycle Month proclamation. Commissioners heard an update about the new Bike Hays program and Biking Guide. A mobile app is also being developed which will show the Bike Hays routes.