Planning Committee accepts half-million dollar bid for airport project
NORWICH – In spite of it being well above initial estimates, a nearly half-million dollar bid for a tree cutting project around the Lt. Warren Eaton Airport was accepted by members of the Chenango County Planning Committee on Tuesday.
The tree cutting project entails trimming or removing trees on approximately 10 acres of land surrounding the county-owned airport. Many trees, most of which are on private property, have grown so tall that they obstruct pilots’ view of the runway and, in accordance with FAA regulations, limit runway use to daytime hours only.
Just two of the five companies that county officials solicited returned a bid for the project, one of them coming in at nearly $1 million; and the other, submitted by Downes Tree Service of Hawthorne, NJ, at $493,000.
Committee members accepted the latter but were staggered that bids came back so high above engineers’ original estimates.
“$275,000 is what we were told to expect,” said committee member Fred Heisler, supervisor for the Town of Smithville. “Even $493,000 is close to 70 percent over.”
Nevertheless, there’s not many companies that will contract for tree removal projects specific to FAA guidelines, so getting a high price isn’t out of the ordinary, explained County Clerk of the Board RC Woodford.
“We did a similar project about 10 years ago and saw much of the same thing,” said Woodford. “There’s not a lot of contractors out there who will do that type of airport obstruction work.”
While the project comes with an astronomical fee, cost won’t fall entirely on the shoulders of county taxpayers. The project meets FAA grant criteria, meaning federal funds would cover 90 percent of the total cost. Remaining expenses would be divvied between the county and the state, both of which would kick-in 5 percent ($24,650).
In order for the county to receive the FAA grant, however, the bid amount must be included in the grant application, said Woodford. With approval from county officials, hopes are to submit the grant application soon and get approval by late September or early October.
Downes Tree Services, the company that submitted the low bid for the project, can not be awarded a contract until county officials know that the federal grant is awarded.
The county’s Planning Committee has been discussing the tree removal project for more than a year. In 2015, the county contracted with Clough Harbour and Associates LLP, an Albany-based engineering and consulting firm, to manage the project. According to CHA, any hope of improving the airport in the future starts with compliance of FAA regulations, and that means cutting trees that are blocking pilots’ approach to the runway.
In the meantime, CHA has been negotiating deals with private landowners around the airport to allow crews to cut trees on their property. Properties of the biggest concern include Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, the cemetery, and the Chobani corporate offices.
The Planning Committee aims to have a brunt of the work performed during winter months with a set completion date May 23, 2017.
The tree cutting project entails trimming or removing trees on approximately 10 acres of land surrounding the county-owned airport. Many trees, most of which are on private property, have grown so tall that they obstruct pilots’ view of the runway and, in accordance with FAA regulations, limit runway use to daytime hours only.
Just two of the five companies that county officials solicited returned a bid for the project, one of them coming in at nearly $1 million; and the other, submitted by Downes Tree Service of Hawthorne, NJ, at $493,000.
Committee members accepted the latter but were staggered that bids came back so high above engineers’ original estimates.
“$275,000 is what we were told to expect,” said committee member Fred Heisler, supervisor for the Town of Smithville. “Even $493,000 is close to 70 percent over.”
Nevertheless, there’s not many companies that will contract for tree removal projects specific to FAA guidelines, so getting a high price isn’t out of the ordinary, explained County Clerk of the Board RC Woodford.
“We did a similar project about 10 years ago and saw much of the same thing,” said Woodford. “There’s not a lot of contractors out there who will do that type of airport obstruction work.”
While the project comes with an astronomical fee, cost won’t fall entirely on the shoulders of county taxpayers. The project meets FAA grant criteria, meaning federal funds would cover 90 percent of the total cost. Remaining expenses would be divvied between the county and the state, both of which would kick-in 5 percent ($24,650).
In order for the county to receive the FAA grant, however, the bid amount must be included in the grant application, said Woodford. With approval from county officials, hopes are to submit the grant application soon and get approval by late September or early October.
Downes Tree Services, the company that submitted the low bid for the project, can not be awarded a contract until county officials know that the federal grant is awarded.
The county’s Planning Committee has been discussing the tree removal project for more than a year. In 2015, the county contracted with Clough Harbour and Associates LLP, an Albany-based engineering and consulting firm, to manage the project. According to CHA, any hope of improving the airport in the future starts with compliance of FAA regulations, and that means cutting trees that are blocking pilots’ approach to the runway.
In the meantime, CHA has been negotiating deals with private landowners around the airport to allow crews to cut trees on their property. Properties of the biggest concern include Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, the cemetery, and the Chobani corporate offices.
The Planning Committee aims to have a brunt of the work performed during winter months with a set completion date May 23, 2017.
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