Granite State Sky Riders to Use North Adams Airport
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission approved the Granite State Sky Riders' request to use Harriman & West Airport for a weekend this summer.
The commission voted Tuesday to allow the motored parachutists but the approval is contingent on a later vote after the city sorts out a waiver agreement.
The Granite State Sky Riders are a group of powered parachute and glider pilots who fly out of different airports in New England during the summer.
"We have about 20 members, and we meet to fly at different small airports across New England," Mike Kuranda of the Granite State Sky Riders said. "We meet once a month from May through September … we really want to add North Adams as one of the venues."
Interim Airport Manager Katherine Eade said Kuranda was in touch with former manager Willard "Bill" Greenwald last year about possibly using the airport and camping there through a weekend during the summer.
Kuranda said they decided to hold off because of the pandemic but were interested in resuming their plans this summer.
He said they would like permission to camp and store their trailers on the airport campus. He thought the grassy area behind the pilot's lounge was suitable.
The Airport Commission had no specific issue with the use. Commissioner Dean Bullett thought anything that spotlighted the airport was a good idea.
"Anything that brings new people to the airport we should support," he said.
Eade said she, too, thought it was a good idea however wanted to sort out a formal agreement that would remove any liability from the city.
"I think this is a great idea, and I would love to do it," she said. "But I don't want anyone to get hurt and have an issue, ever."
Kuranda said the pilots have not signed waivers in the past, but he would be willing to explore it.
In other business, Peter Enzien of Stantec, the airport's engineer, went over some airport projects.
He said the obstruction removal project is still underway and that Stantec has met with impacted property owners. Those who they were unable to meet with have been contacted.
"All of the field meetings were positive, and we had good one-on-one conversations with the property owners," he said. "We were able to get into the back yards and look at the trees."
Over the next few weeks, Stantec will start designing bid documents.
As for the North East Hangar renovation project, Enzien said the city is currently cleaning out the hangar.
"We have been working on getting the hanger cleaned out for safety reasons. Anyone who has been over there has seen all of the debris all over the place," he said. "... It will look better, but it looked worse than it actually was."
Eade said three dumpsters' worth of debris has already been removed from the site.
Enzien said Stantec is preparing bid documents and plans to hold a site walkthrough for potential bidders at the end of the month.
He said subbids will be opened April 14 and the general contractor bid will be opened on April 21.
Enzien started going over the project's potential cost, but the commission paused once he mentioned estimates creeping above $250,000.
"I know I was comfortable with that $250,000 range, but as we go above that, I would stop being comfortable," Chairman Dan Caplinger said.
Commissioner Mark Morandi agreed and said he would likely tap out once the project inched above $375,000.
Bullett did not want to cede complete control to the engineers, especially with inflation and supply issues driving construction costs.
In total, the city has $230,000 in non-primary entitlement funding, some of which was rolled over from the last fiscal year. Factoring in state and local shares, the city should have nearly $260,000 to complete the project.
Also, the airport is slated to receive an additional $159,000 a year for the next five years through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
What made the commissioners nervous was the $432,000 for the project listed in the airport's Capitol Improvement Plan.
Enzien said that number is simply the total amount the airport has available to cover the project. He said the real moment of truth is when they open the bids. He said there will also be plenty of opportunities for the commission to address the project as the process continues.
Eade affirmed this.
"I don't want the commission to get nervous about this because there is a process," she said. "... Until the bids are opened and we have something for the City Council to vote on through the city's share, any time you can say you are uncomfortable. But we are at the point where going forward and getting the project out to bid is probably the right thing to do."
Enzien said if the commission ultimately decided to scrap the project, grant funding received would roll over into the next fiscal year
The commission gave the OK to continue the project but asked that Eade and Enzien be aware of their concerns when acting on their behalf.
Enzien then went over the Capital Improvement Plan that had to updated to include BIL-funded projects. He said the document is fluid and projects can change. He included projects that are an extension of current ones or ones they have talked about in the past.
He said the restaurant space can be included in the plan, specifically the dining area. He also included a snow removal equipment building and a six-unit T hangar.
The commission approved the updated plan but did ask to amend the order of the projects to optimize funding eligibility. Revenue-generating projects would impact the funding stream.
The commission approved the new airport rules and regulations that was updated by the Airport Advisory Panel
"I want to thank all of the members of the Airport Advisory Panel for going through this experiment," Caplinger said. "I appreciate all of the work that you did, and I hope it was a fulfilling experience."
Before closing, the commission thanked Angie Ellison, city administrative officer and former interim airport manager, who is leaving the city for another position in Fairhaven.
"Thank you so much for jumping in feet first, totally immersed, and over your head," Caplinger said. "I appreciate all of the hard work you did to get yourself up to speed … you brought us forward in a time where we needed to move forward."
Ellison said her time with the commission was the most memorable for her.
"It has been an experience. It has been wonderful, and I learned so much," she said. "... My most memorable time working with the city of North Adams was being part of this Airport Commission. So thank you. I would do it all over again."
Eade, Ellison's replacement, also thanked her but on her end, it certainly isn't goodbye.
"I am not going to say goodbye because I am going to be calling you all of the time," she said.
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