'North Adams' Added to Harriman-West Airport Name
 The Airport Commission decided keep the name Harriman-West but add North Adams to it to indicate the location. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission has decided to keep Lottie Harriman and George West's names in the new airport title.
Last month, Commissioner Trevor Gilman advocated changing the name to the North Adams Municipal Airport to better market the airport and make clearer its location.
The commission tabled the motion to research the history of the airport's name before making a decision.
After talking to the remaining family members of George West and researching the history, commissioners decided not to remove the names.
"I tried to relay what the intent was ... however, while both of them said they would not be opposed to the name change, both of them said they would be disappointed if we took the name off the airport," Gilman said. "I respect their opinion, and I would like to back off that change to some point."
The commission did decide to change the name to North Adams Harriman-West Airport and clean up confusion of the name in different sources.
"It is more important for us to clean up the constantly changing use of the names throughout the different sources from the FAA to our signage to the city ordinances," he said. "They all use different names for the airport."
Chairman Jeffrey Naughton agreed that the name change was a good compromise.
"I think that is a good compromise," Naughton said. "I had a chance to do some research on Lottie and George, and in my opinion I think it is import they remain part of the name of the airport."
The commission also met with a representative from Gale Associates, the airport's engineer, who told them the low bidder for the Phase 1 of the apron project, Tetra Tech, discontinued construction services and withdrew its bid.
He said J.H. Maxymillian was the second lowest bidder, but its bid was $334,000 higher than Tetra Tech. Although this is in the 15 percent overage amount the Federal Aviation Administration allows in grant funded projects, the funds were already secured for the lower bid.
Gale explained the original Maxymillian bid can not be changed because it is still within 180-day bid period. J.H. Maxymillian has indicated it will honor the original bid and is on board.
Naughton said the FAA grant should be awarded this week.
"Quite frankly, we are in limbo, and if we get the money within 180-day bid period then we can award it to Maxymillian," he said. "Then we are locked in."
Also as part of the bid process, Tetra Tech submitted a bid bond for 5 percent which is $113,000. The commission can receive this amount because the project was not awarded.
 Commissioner Trevor Gilman said adding a terminal would be a two-year project of planning and construction. |
The Gale representative said the FAA would like to proceed with the grants with Tetra Tech's bid price and use the bid bond. He said the FAA would like to amend this grant when the project is completed and look for more funds if needed.
The commission could also rebid the project, but there is no guarantee the bids would come in the same.
The Gale representative added that the airport is on the 2015 FAA list to receive funding for the construction of a terminal building.
Gilman said the funding for this project will be easier to receive than the money for the approach.
"Although it's a two-year project, design one year and construction the following year, the funding is all part of one piece," he said.
The commissioners will hold a special meeting at which they will brainstorm ideas for the new building. Construction should begin in spring 2016.
Gilman said he met with the FAA and the soonest they can get paint on the approach is this summer.
"I asked them to think outside of their normal box and the process they follow to come up with way to paint these markings ... and though it was slow at first as the meeting went on, they started to bring out some other ideas."
He said the original completion date of the apron was supposed to be in April, but there is no time to paint before winter comes.
The commission could pay for the paint now and seek reimbursement after, however they decided to wait for full funding in the summer.
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