NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission has voted to hire Stantec as its new engineering firm after airport construction is complete.

 

Chairman Jeff Naughton recommended last week that the commission vote to bring on Stantec, ending an 18-year relationship with Gale Associates. 

 

"We have had a very long, 18-year relationship with Gale and it has been a very positive relationship, but we just thought it was time to take a look," Naughton said at Tuesday's meeting. "We thought there were different strengths that Stantec brought to the table."

 

Naughton said a subcommittee was created comprised of commissioners, the airport manager and city administrators to vet interested firms. He said after holding interviews and scoring each firm, Stantec was a clear choice.

 

When construction is complete, he said, the only thing left to do is to maintain Harriman & West Airport and that the commission wants to take a look at non-aviation use opportunities.

 

Commissioner Trevor Gilman, who also served on the subcommittee, said the commission does not have a working relationship with Stantec but has had multiple discussions with the company and is very familiar with its operations.

 

He added that Stantec is based out of Albany, N.Y., and has a presence with the state Department of Transportation. The closest Gale branch is more than two hours away. 

 

in other business, the commission voted to approve the contractor's request to waive a test paving strip on the apron. Test strips are used so pavers can meet specifications before they enter full production paving.

 

Gale Associates representative Erik Strand said the test strip usually uses 250 tons of pavement and often when a contractor does a similar project somewhere else within 12 months, there is no need to run a test strip. 

 

Strand said the contractor, ET&L Construction Corp., recently paved an airport in Turners Falls and the project was essentially the same.

 

"This year they just paved the entire taxiway at Turners Falls. It was the same paving sub, same mix, same equipment and same crew,” Strand said. "Based on the pre-paving meeting we had last week, I think they are in a good position to hit a home run with the paving.” 

 

He added that the contractor still takes on all liability and if the final product does not meet specifications it will be ripped out and redone.

 

Nick Ippolito, also with Gale, said not requiring a test strip should speed the process up by a week. He said it is possible to extend the test strip into the final product if it meets the same specs, but often times it is just ripped up.

  

The board also approved the contractor’s request to waive the prime coat on the apron. 

 

Ippolito said it is an antiquated procedure that often causes more trouble than it is worth.

 

Greenwald said he recently had to call the police after he found a homeless man camping in the woods at the airport.

 

"I always get sad when I hear these stories ... I don't know how good or bad this guy was or what kind of trouble he was in, but it's sad when people get in that situation," he said. "I don't think this guy is known for breaking and entering. I think he is just homeless and is trying to survive.”

 

He said the police took down his camp and said if he reappears to call the station.