North Adams Plans to Release an Improved RFP for Airport Restaurant
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission voted to re-release the request for proposals (RFP) for the airport restaurant space but only after the city formed a new and improved document.
Chairman Marc Morandi said Tuesday that instead of re-releasing the same RFP, he wants to work with people in the restaurant business to form an improved packet that may be more enticing to restaurateurs.
"I know we have put out a couple of RFPs in the past that have not faired well when they hit the streets," he said. "Instead of releasing the same one, I think we should go through more thoughtfully and talk to some restaurant people to see what will work and what won't … we don't want to waste time and money, and we want a good response."
At the commission's last meeting, City Councilor Andrew Fitch felt that he had contacts in the restaurant business that could help form a better RFP. Morandi said he thought the city should take him up on it and create a working group.
The city moved and renovated a former doctor's building on the airport campus to act as the new terminal and administrative building. The facility was renovated to house a restaurant overlooking the runway. The city has released multiple RFPs for the restaurant space but has received limited responses.
In other business, the city also plans to release an RFP for the city-owned North East Hangar.
"We have heard from multiple people that there is an interest in taking over the hangar so there must be more interest out there," Morandi said.
The hangar is currently being renovated and should be completed in the coming weeks.
Airport Manager Bruce Goff noted that if the city manages the hangar, he estimates it can lease space for five aircraft, allowing space for planes to safely come and go.
If the city leases space for $350 a month, with a full hangar it can pull in $1,750 per month. But Goff suspected the city could make more money if the entire hangar was rented.
"I think we can do better with renting it out as a whole so if the city can do better we should definitely consider it," Goff said.
A hangar can accommodate more aircraft if it is solely leased to a single organization that doesn't require unrestricted aircraft mobility.
Administrative Officer Katherine Eade said the city would include a minimal bid to ensure that a proposal would be financially beneficial to the city.
As for the renovation project, Morandi said National Grid has been given the go ahead to bring electricity to the structure. When that is done, it will be another two weeks until the project is complete.
"We are at the mercy of National Grid at this point, but we would hope it would be pretty quick at this point," Morandi said.
The commission voted to pursue an aviation easement on Barbour Street. In exchange for $6,000, the city will form an agreement with the homeowner that will allow workers to access the property for aviation purposes, specifically to manage tree growth as the property abuts the airfield.
Originally, the commission voted to delay the vote because of available funding, but the property owner agreed to the easement and offered to remove trees at their own expense. The homeowner will be reimbursed once the easement goes into effect in July.
"This is cheap for an avigation easement," Morandi said. "Usually they start at $10,000 and up so this gives the airport a deal on the easement and the owner a deal on getting those trees taken care of."
Morandi said he has been in contact with Adirondack Aviation who are interested in setting up a flight school at the airport along with offering scenic flights.
During public comment, the commission addressed pending litigation between airport users. Commissioner Morandi said the commission will remain in a holding pattern until litigation and a police investigation is complete.
"We don't have anything, and at this point we have litigation and police investigation happening that will cue us into what happened at the time," he said. "So we can then enforce our rules based on what law enforcement has told us what happened."
The commission was vague about the case and did not mention any names but court documents going back to 2019 show a legal entanglement between multiple airport users. Allegations include breaking and entering, physical abuse, damaging property, and harassment, among others. Many of these allegations took place at the airport and involved hangar space and aircraft.
Morandi said he understood there are now pending criminal charges, which he felt the commission should allow to play out before exercising any of its powers
"Police have the power of rule over the property so if the police have stepped in and are talking criminal charges I think we should wait and see what those charges end up before we process them further," he said.
Morandi clarified that the series of incidents were never reported to the commission by the then-airport manager. He added that he is the only commissioner sitting who was present at the time.
He said with four new commissioners and a new airport manager he felt it was prudent for the commission to wait for the litigation and investigation to conclude.
Airport users in attendance felt the commission possessed sufficient information to make a judgment based on evident violations.
Morandi asked for patience noting any decision would include the city solicitor. He added that the commission only adopted its current guidelines in 2022 so at the time the airport had no airport-specific rules in the books.
Eade added that the city is not taking any action based on a deposition in a civil case.
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