Airport work is ready to bid

It’s time to bid.

Portland Aviation Board on Wednesday approved completed designs for grading and drainage of the runway’s 1,500-foot extension in its first meeting since March.

Bids for phase one of the runway’s extension from 4,000 to 5,500 feet will be advertised Friday with a final vote a contractor expected to be chosen at the board’s June 17 meeting.

Jason Clearwaters of Butler Fairman & Seufert, the board’s engineering firm, also told the board that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources approved the city’s mitigation credit in April for enclosing 555 feet of Alexander Ditch, which was required to begin construction.

The DNR required the city to pay $266,400 for a mitigation credit, 100% of which is expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Aviation Association.

The FAA previously had an agreement with Portland and the Indiana Department of Transportation to pay 90% of all costs associated for the multi-million dollar runway extension with the city and INDOT each paying 5%.

The FAA is now paying 100% of the costs this year because of funds the department received from the federal CARES Act passed in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

For that reason, Clearwaters is encouraging the board to handle a lot of the costs associated with the project this year since it is expected to be fully reimbursed by the FAA. He warned that the payout by state and federal governments next year, when phase two of the project is expected to be completed, could look different because of expected budget constraints associated with the pandemic.

The board also approved an amendment to its 2017 agreement with the engineering firm to delete language pertaining to the expected physical mitigation of Alexander Ditch that was no longer needed because the mitigation credit was paid for.

The amendment also added in a timeline for the paving and lighting portion of project, which is expected to be fully designed by next spring.

In other business, board members board members John Lyons, Clyde Bray and Mitch Sutton, absent Faron Parr:

•Heard from airport manager Hal Tavzel that 7,909 gallons of gas has been sold since March for a total of $28,329.84. Tavzel also said Zach Hudson, a firefighter, flew his first solo flight last week.

•Paid $3572.69 in claims.

•Heard from Clearwaters that his firm is investigating if the airport would be eligible for up to $30,000 in federal reimbursement under the CARES Act for operational costs.