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County Commissioners Explore Options for Terminal

By BOB TOMASZEWSKI Staff Writer NEW KNOXVILLE —

 

As part of the ongoing quest for a new terminal building at the Armstrong Airport in New Knoxville, the Auglaize County commissioners met for a presentation with IAP Government Services Group to explore the possibility they could serve as the third-party administrator on the project.

 

Account manager Doug Smith said with IAP, the county could save time by piggybacking off their state contract as opposed to the regular public bidding process. Those contractors in the prequalified state contractor network in the area would be able to bid on the project.

 

Smith said that if local contractors wanted to become prequalified, the paper work turnaround time would take between two days and two weeks depending on motivation. He said the project could be out to bid 10 days from their final bid meeting. Smith said his company would not be owed a cent until a shovel is put in the dirt, and their fee would be 8.5 percent of the cost of construction.

 

Commissioners would need to pass a resolution to engage with the company and would be able to decide appropriations after bidding. Commissioner Doug Spencer entertained the idea of having a concurrent bidding process, with an architect build and a design build.

 

Smith assured commissioners his company would function as the construction manager after the bidding process. Commissioner John Bergman asked about basements.

 

“Are basements that terribly expensive?” Bergman asked. Smith nodded. He said that because of a tight job market and steel prices, average costs in the past two years have risen 20 to 30 percent for projects.

 

Commissioners did not take immediate action. They also met with Ted Bergstrom, manager of the airport, for a monthly update.

 

The main focus was the obstruction lighting issues on a runway on the west side of the airport. Bergstrom said based on the Federal Aviation Administration review, a whole grove of trees on the west side of the airport there will be an issue for a glide path for night approaches for one particular runway.

 

Initially it was thought part of one tree would be an issue. The trees aren’t on the county’s property and Bergstrom and commissioners were set to meet with the landowner to explore options for mitigating glide path issues Thursday night.

 

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