Changing airport consultants tabled by commission for review

Bringing in a new airport consultant from Columbus was tabled by the Lawrence County Commission at its Thursday meeting until the commissioners explore that firm’s credentials further.

On the agenda was a motion to approve and sign a contract with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. out of Columbus to be the engineering consultant for the Lawrence County Airpark upon the recommendation of the county’s airport advisory board.

However, Commissioners Freddie Hayes and Bill Pratt wanted to study the issue more before making the change and tabled the motion without any public discussion. Commission President Les Boggs did not attend the meeting.

“The airport advisory board has recommended this new company, but I need to read on it and decide if that is what we want to do,” Pratt said after the meeting. “Stantec is more well-versed with decision-making (on airports). They have other airports. E.L. Robinson has a lot of experience. We have not been disappointed. I just want to see.”

Since 2001 E.L. Robinson has been the airpark’s consultant, charging a 10 percent fee per total cost of any project. For other work such as grant applications the firm that has an office in Ironton does not charge the county.

According to material submitted to the commission, Stantec’s standard rates are $146.63 per hour for project manager; $106.20 an hour for project engineer; $94.71 per hour for airport engineers; $74.65 per hour for designer; and $50.75 per hour for word processor.

The commissioners also approved a $380,895 contract with Boone Coleman Construction from West Portsmouth to build the roadways around the Intermountain Electronics site at The Point industrial park. That work will also provide infrastructure for future facilities that come to that section of the South Point park.

In other action the commissioners:

• Approved a permit for Hecla Water Association to enter the right of way of County Road 6 to install a two-inch water line;

• Approved a permit for Hecla Water Association to enter the right of way on County Road 52 to relocate a 10-inch water line out of a proposed slope repair project;

• Approved a permit for Horizon Telecom to enter the right of way on County Road 181 to set utility poles and aerial fiber optic cable;

• Approved a permit for Horizon Telecom to enter the right of way on County Road 24 to set utility poles and aerial fiber optic cable;

• Received the weekly dog warden’s report where 25 dogs were adopted; none were destroyed and none were redeemed.