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The Legislature took several actions related to Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, including acceptance of a $1.5 million dollar grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, approval of a consulting agreement, and award of bids to construct a new sand storage building at the airport.  The grant was accepted by a 14-1 vote (Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera voting no.)

The award of more than $1.4 million in construction bids was approved by a 13-2 vote, with Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera and Pam Mackesey  opposed. Before that vote, Legislators Luz Herrera and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne expressed concern that the general contractor, Gudabri, of Savannah, NY, does not operate a certified apprenticeship program, consistent with County policy.

Airport Manager Bob Nicholas has indicated that very few firms in the State do this type of work and have such a certified program.  Both said the Legislature at the committee level should take a look at proactive steps to take, perhaps through revised recruitment and screening processes to reduce the occurrence of this situation in the future.  95% of the construction project cost will be supported by the FAA.  The Legislature, by a vote of 12-3 (Legislators, Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Dooley Kiefer, and Kathy Luz Herrera dissenting) also approved a nearly $185,000 consultant agreement with C&S Companies of Syracuse, NY, to oversee the project.  Kiefer said she believes the County should follow a practice of seeking project proposals for other engineering firms as well.

Legislators also, by unanimous votes, accepted a more than $75,000 FAA grant to complete phase two of the airport’s sustainable master plan, first plan of its type in the nation and awarded a five-year engineering consulting agreement with C&S Companies.

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