Airport Authority - September 12, 2017 Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Municipal Airport Authority of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. in the Airport Boardroom.
The members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek
Absent: None
Others: Bossart
Chairman Blazek presiding.
Approved the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Municipal Airport Authority Held August 22, 2017:
The minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Municipal Airport Authority held August 22, 2017 were approved without objection.
Approved the Airport Vouchers Totaling $56,568.85:
Mr. Kilander moved to approve the airport vouchers totaling $56,568.85.
Second by Ms. Linn.
On the call of the roll, members Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek voted aye.
No member being absent and none voting nay the motion was declared carried.
Approved the Individual Voucher to Sixel Consulting Group:
Gen. Haugen moved to approve the individual voucher in the amount of $2,500.00 to Sixel Consulting Group for the quarterly airline report.
Second by Dr. Clark.
On the call of the roll, members Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek voted aye.
No member being absent and none voting nay the motion was declared carried.
Approved the Individual Voucher to Northern Improvement Company:
Gen. Haugen moved to approve the individual voucher in the amount of $1,133,984.02 to Northern Improvement Company for Partial Payment Request for the construction of the Taxiway A and A1 Reconstruction Project, AIP47.
Second by Dr. Clark.
On the call of the roll, members Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek voted aye.
No member being absent and none voting nay the motion was declared carried.
Received Update from American Airlines:
Chairman Blazek welcomed Mr. Dale Morris, Consultant and Government Affairs, American Airlines. Mr. Morris was recognized and stated he has had the pleasure of working with Mr. Dobberstein and the Airport Authority for many years and wanted to express thanks on behalf of American Airlines for the continued partnership with Fargo. He stated the merger of US Air and American Airlines has gone very well and the CEO is making many strides to keep the company profitable but at the same time bringing the passengers the type of service they expect. He stated Mr. Dobberstein has been a fixture at headquarters in pushing for additional resources and additional service for Fargo and he is well respected. He stated Fargo is an important city to American Airlines and they appreciate the friendship and partnership over the years.
Chairman Blazek stated on behalf of the Airport Authority we appreciate Mr. Morris being here and also appreciate American Airlines serving our market. He stated the Authority understands that its success is totally dependent on the success of our airlines and we are willing and dedicated to doing whatever we can do to ensure that success.
Received Bid Tabulation and Recommendation of Award for Employee Parking Lot Reconstruction and Expansion Project:
Mr. Jeff Klein, Mead & Hunt, was recognized and stated on August 29 we opened bids for the Employee Parking Lot Reconstruction and Expansion Project. He distributed a layout showing the reconstruction of the existing lot and the construction of the new employee/overflow parking lot. He stated the bid included three different bid schedules as follows:
* Bid Schedule 1 - Parking Lot 1 Asphalt Reconstruction and Parking Lot 2 Rehabilitation/Asphalt Expansion
* Bid Schedule 2 - Parking Lot 1 Concrete Reconstruction & Parking Lot 2 Rehabilitation/Asphalt Expansion
* Bid Schedule 3 - Parking Lot 1 Concrete Reconstruction & Parking Lot 2 Rehabilitation/Concrete Expansion
Mr. Klein stated the reason we did three bid schedules was to give the Authority some options on asphalt and concrete. Mr. Klein stated we received two bids for Bid Schedule 1 (Northern Improvement Company and Adelman Concrete and Excavating, Inc. He stated we also received bids from Adelman for Bid Schedule 2 and Bid Schedule 3, but no bid from Northern on those schedules.
Mr. Klein stated Adelman was the low bidder for Bid Schedule 1 but after reviewing the bid we discovered two math errors which made them the high bidder and Northern the low bidder. He stated the bid specifications clearly state that if there is an error in the contractor's math that the unit price will govern. He stated it also allows the Authority to waive any technicalities. Mr. Dobberstein stated it is his recommendation to reject the Adelman bid and award Bid Schedule 1 to the low bidder, Northern Improvement. He stated the error on the bid disqualifies Adelman.
Chairman Blazek asked why Northern did not bid on either of the concrete schedules. Mr. Klein stated concrete contractors are busy. He stated five or six other concrete
contractors picked up specifications for the project but did not submit a bid. Dr. Clark moved to reject the bid from Adelman Concrete and Excavating, Inc. due to
mathematical errors, and that the project for Bid Schedule 1 be awarded to Northern Improvement Company based on their bid of $419,407.40.
Second by Ms. Linn.
On the call of the roll, members Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek voted aye.
No member being absent and none voting nay the motion was declared carried.
Received Proposed Contract from Mead & Hunt for Employee Parking Lot Reconstruction and Expansion:
Mr. Jeff Klein, Mead & Hunt, was recognized and stated they were awarded a contract for the original design of the reconstruction of the main employee parking lot. He stated the scope of the project was later changed and the construction of the new employee and overflow parking lot was added. He stated this proposed contract is for the design amendment for a lump sum of $14,500.00 and a not to exceed amount of $62,400.00 for the construction services for the project.
Mr. Kilander moved to approve the proposed contract from Mead & Hunt for the design amendment for a fee of $14,500.00 and a not to exceed amount of $62,400.00 for construction services for the Employee Parking Lot Reconstruction and Expansion Project.
Second by Dr. Clark.
On the call of the roll, members Clark, Linn, Kilander, Haugen, Blazek voted aye.
No member being absent and none voting nay the motion was declared carried.
Authorized Attendance at the AAAE Airport Operations and Maintenance Conference, October 15-17, 2017, Chicago, IL:
Mr. Kilander moved to authorize attendance at the AAAE Airport Operations and Maintenance Conference, October 15-17, 2017, Chicago, IL.
Second by Ms. Linn.
All members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Received Update Regarding Compensation Study:
Ms. Linn distributed a report on stakeholder meetings she and Mr. Kilander held with seven area business stakeholders during the period July 17-30, 2017. The report showed the strengths of the airport and opportunities to make the airport better, as shared by stakeholders.
Mr. Bernie Ness was recognized and stated as a stakeholder he would like to congratulate the board on the quality of its members. Mr. Kilander stated what he has gained from these stakeholders meetings is that the airport needs to do more to blow its own horn so we probably need to do more with public relations.
Ms. Linn stated after their meetings they reported to Chairman Blazek and then they updated the Mayor and City Administrator Bruce Grubb. She stated now she and Mr. Kilander will move forward in the next couple of weeks on the compensation study to make certain that every Airport Authority employee is compensated properly.
Chairman Blazek thanked Ms. Linn and Mr. Kilander for their time and effort on this matter. He added that he was not really surprised by the positive findings presented but because we are so close to it that is what we live by and expect.
Ms. Linn stated she would be willing to continue meeting with additional stakeholders each month as it is such a powerful thing for us to be able to share the story of the airport and get their input.
Airport Construction and Security Update:
Mr. Jeff Klein, Mead & Hunt, was recognized and stated Northern Improvement is continuing good progress on the Taxiway A project. He stated they will start paving on the cargo apron expansion next week.
Mr. Terry Stroh, TL Stroh Architects, was recognized and stated on the panel replacement project on the terminal building, he is recommending bidding the project in March for a spring start. He stated the panels will take 10-12 weeks for delivery and it may be a project we would not want to do in the winter since we do not know what we will find once the panels are removed.
Mr. Dobberstein stated he would prefer to bid the project in March.
Mr. Dobberstein stated we continue to press the TSA for a third screening lane. He stated we do not know what the criteria is and they will not tell us. He stated there was one lane down recently and it really causes a hardship for TSA pre-check passengers.
Authorized Attendance at the ICAS Convention, December 3-6, 2017, Las Vegas, NV:
Chairman Blazek stated the Fargo Airsho Committee is holding a Fargo Airsho in 2018 and he feels it is important for the Airport Authority to send two representatives to the International Council of Air Shows Convention this year, as there are constant changes to things that directly involve the Airport Authority.
Mr. Kilander moved to authorize Chairman Blazek and Mr. Dobberstein to attend the ICAS Convention, December 3-6, 2017, Las Vegas, NV.
Second by Dr. Clark.
All members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Other Business:
Mr. Rick Flacksbarth, Cityscapes Development, was recognized and stated he recently heard from the son of the owner of the property on the southwest corner of the airport. He stated the son originally pursued him regarding the sale of the property but now the son is asking that the matter be put on the back burner.
Gen. Haugen gave a report on the UAS Conference he attended at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on August 22. He stated the conference is usually focused on Grand Forks and the Air Force Base, but this time there was much more on the civilian aspects of UAS and the business world rather than the military side. He stated he talked to both Senator Hoeven and Congressman Cramer who were there and gave presentations on where we are going and how North Dakota is a leader in airspace.
He stated on August 8, the first flight of the reaper at Hector Airport, he has a great photo of this military aircraft with a shot of an American Airlines airplane in the background waiting to take off. He stated it is a tribute to this airport to have a mix of UAS systems flying in the traffic pattern with commercial traffic. He stated it is the future and we are leading the way.
Mr. Dobberstein asked the FAA Tower Manager, Meg Flategraff, for any comments from the tower.
Ms. Flategraff was recognized and stated the controllers were a little leery at first but it has gone well and we have not received any negative feedback from pilots.
Mr. Kilander stated the Skyway Subcommittee (Kilander and Haugen) met this morning with others present and reviewed the input from the board over the past several years with Mr. Terry Stroh, TL Stroh Architects, as guidance for moving forward with the skyway.
The meeting of the Municipal Airport Authority was adjourned until the next Regular Meeting to be held Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.
Time at adjournment was 10:44 a.m.