Contractor selected for Dexter airport
DEXTER — DP Porter Contractors of Hermon has been selected to replace the terminal building and improve the site at the Dexter Regional Airport. The business’ low bid of approximately $1.59 million was approved by the Dexter Town Council during a Feb. 9 meeting.
Town Manager Trampas King said the terminal building costs would be approximately $1 million and other work includes driveway and parking area paving.
“We can do the whole thing without splitting it up or taking things out,” he said.
King told the council last month that Maine airports can lend FAA-distributed money to each other through the agency. He said the FAA gives $150,000 per year to airports, but these accounts can only grow to $600,000.
Airports, such as those not in the midst of construction projects, can lend funds, which would be paid back. King said airport officials in Houlton and Princeton have each agreed to lend $150,000 to Dexter to keep the terminal project scope of work intact and these funds would be paid back in the next two years.
The council agreed in October to a $25,000 purchase and sales agreement with the Dexter Aero Club for its terminal building. The transaction will enable a new 800-square-foot structure to replace the existing 50-year-old, 200-square-foot terminal building. The replacement is part of a grant-funded project for the new facility, which includes reconstruction of the access road.
The Dexter Regional Airport was awarded $760,000 in federal funds over the summer to replace the current structure that does not meet the standards for a basic general aviation terminal building. It also does not meet federal ADA requirements or energy efficiency standards. The new terminal will enhance and meet all of these requirements.
In December the committee met to discuss project bids, which all came in high but were within 10-15 percent of one another. Meeting with the lower bidder, the group looked at potential cuts to the project to bring it in line with funding sources. Engine heaters for outside the building and some paving work were removed.
The town and Dexter Aero Club needed to come to an agreement for the group to move out of its building so the structure could be demolished to make way for the new terminal building.
The Dexter Aero Club rents space at its hangar, and would continue to do so at a to-be-built structure at the airport. The council has agreed to a 10-year lease at $100 annual rate with the group for an airport site.
A sum of $25,000 had been agreed upon for the purchase, with the council authorizing the transfer of this amount from an economic development reserve account to the airport property buildings account.
In other business, the council accepted an $1,800 donation from Hartley’s Charitable Foundation.
King said the foundation was formed by a family that formerly lived in town and wanted to set up a benefit system for the community. “We use it for the betterment of people,” the town manager said.
He said past Hartley’s Charitable Foundation monies have been used to purchase flags downtown and improvements at the skate rink and beach bath house.
“We did get our LUCAS chest compression system. We got it put together and charged,” King said, saying fire department members will be trained soon. “That’s a huge asset to our fire department.”
The LUCAS-brand chest compression system was donated by Jane Hibbard-Merrill of Dover-Foxcroft in memory of her brother George McCourt — a longtime member of the Dexter Fire Department. The $20,000 device can be used when performing CPR.
King said a warming shelter was set up at the town hall for the frigid conditions the previous weekend, and one person came by. He said the building will probably be set up again for the next stretch of cold weather.
The town manager thanked the fire department, which responded to four calls during the cold stretch, including one Friday night into Saturday.