BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Thanks to additional federal aid in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, two longstanding capital improvement projects at the Hays Regional Airport will cost the city of Hays nothing.
City commissioners Thursday night were quick to praise Airport Director Jamie Salter for her involvement in securing the grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through the Phase III Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
A project to rehabilitate the north terminal apron and correct drainage issues had already been approved for this year, with the FAA picking up 90 percent of the tab, and the city to pay 10 percent.
With the recent addition of the CARES grant of approximately $1 million, two alternate bids were added for new runway markings on the primary runway 16-34 and taxiway connector M1.
The commission accepted the low bid of $1,031,019.10 from Vogts Parga Construction, Newton. There is no cost share required of the city.
The $201,885 construction engineering agreement with the city's airport engineering consultant, Burns and McDonnell, will also be covered by the extra federal dollars.
The apron work "will have no impact on commercial air service," Salter said, "and is phased to minimize the impact on other airport operations."
She noted the recent reduction of SkyWest/United flights to one a day between Hays and Denver due to the pandemic. "The schedule will go back to roughly what we had before on July 6th," Salter told commissioners.
Removal and restriping of pavement markings will be completed during nighttime hours to limit the impact on operating conditions. Both the main and crosswind runways will be closed for short periods of time.
Salter expects the work to be completed by the end of the year.
A plan to upgrade the crosswind runway 4-22 lighting to a can and conduit system, utilizing LED lighting, was planned for this year with the standard 90/10 cost share.
With the additional CARES grant, the project will now be completely funded by the FAA.
The $692,004 low bid from L&S Electric LLC, Salina, was approved by the commission along with the $171,175 construction engineering agreement with Burns & McDonnell.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2021, after the apron and markings project is done.
The crosswind runway will be closed for the duration of construction. The main runway will closed for short periods of time as needed.
A third airport project is part of the 2020 Street Maintenance Program. It has also been upgraded and will be completely funded by the FAA.
The airport fuel road was already scheduled for chip sealing.
The project has been changed to an asphalt overlay, along with storm sewer and grading, with a change order to an existing contract with APAC-Hays for similar work on General Custer Road. The $94,188 cost of the change order will be reimbursed to the city by the FAA.
"I don't think the FAA and the federal government just decided Hays, Kansas, of all places, deserves all this," said Michael Berges.
The commissioner described Salter as a "very good, proactive airport manager" who has been "making lemonade out of lemons."
"You worked the contacts that you know you have. You looked through the CARES Act legislation and figured out how can we make the best out of this," Berges said.
"I think in years to come other communities are going to be moaning that they're lagging behind. ... Hays is gonna stand up and say 'it was a headache during the pandemic and the economic downturns, but we're coming out of this shining.'"
Salter estimated the city is saving $180,000 to $200,000 by not having to pay the usual 10 percent cost share to the FAA for the two airport projects.
Maintenance projects, such as the runway marking restriping, are usually not eligible for the FAA cost/share program, saving the city another $400,000.