WINTER HAVEN — The City Commission on Monday approved a $1.1 million contract to build a new general aviation hangar at the Winter Haven Regional Airport.
The commission also approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to accept a $107,074 grant to design a new security system at the airport, including cameras and new fencing.
SEMCO Construction Inc. of Lakeland was awarded the contract to build the hangar for 10 private aircraft after it submitted the lowest bid among 11 companies competing for the contract.
The Transportation Department will pay 80% of the construction cost under another grant agreement with the state agency.
The city will recoup its 20% cost in less than six years through rent payments for the hangar space, City Manager Mike Herr said. The hangar location means no other taxiway or additional improvements are needed.
That prompted Mayor Brad Dantzler to ask whether the city can get more such grants to bring additional revenues to the municipal airport.
"We need to get more revenue out of the airport," Dantzler said. "We've already got our expenses dialed in."
Herr replied that he is working with airport staff to map out areas where additional general aviation hangars can be built. He said he would present the plan to the commission later this year.
Growth Management Director Eric Labbe noted the additional hangar space would give Winter Haven a better chance to receive future state transportation grants under the department's scoring system.
"So it's self-perpetuating," Dantzler said.
The state Transportation Department security system grant also requires a 20% match from the city, or $26,768, bringing the total cost of the design project to $133,842.
The commission awarded a design contract in that amount to AVCON Inc., an Orlando engineering firm. The contract calls for the company to evaluate the existing perimeter fencing, secure gate and camera systems.
Interim Airport General Manager Ashley Udick has strongly recommended the security improvements, Herr said.
"The Transportation Security Administration during recent visits to the airport has noted concerns about the lack of security," he said. "Due to the lack of an effective access control system, unauthorized personnel and vehicles can gain easy access on to the airfield. There have been several occasions where vehicles have been spotted on and escorted out of the runways and taxiways."
Gate access to the airport is controlled by entering a personal identification code onto a keypad, according to city records. That's not very secure because the ID codes tend to get shared with others.
Gates and fences have deteriorated in some areas, records show.
AVCON will also look at adding additional security cameras to the airport as well as replacing existing cameras with the latest high-resolution models. The company will submit its design in July.
The City Commission moved up its regular meeting time from 6:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday to allow some members to travel to Tallahassee later in the day for Polk County Day Tuesday.
Commissioners must have liked the earlier starting time because they unanimously agreed to move the starting time of the regular commission meetings on the second and fourth Mondays to 6 p.m.
The change will not take place until the commission amends its existing ordinance setting the 6:30 p.m. starting time, City Attorney John Murphy said.
The City Commission also has held a 6:30 p.m. workshop on the Wednesday before the official meeting to review the pending agenda. It unanimously agreed to move up that starting time to 5:30 p.m.
That time was not set in an ordinance and becomes effective immediately, Murphy said.
In other business, the commission approved $55,000 in tax credits over four years to Florida Caribbean Distillers Inc. for creating 160 new high paying jobs at its proposed $120 million advanced manufacturing plant for making aluminum cans. The commission in December approved selling 77.5 acres of municipal property near the Pollard Road sewage treatment plant for the factory as part of a new 203-acre industrial park.
The tax credits are part of a state incentive program for creating new high paying jobs in certain industries. The $55,000 represents the city's 10% share of the tax credit's cost along with the same share approved last year by the Polk County Commission.
The state is picking up the remaining 80% share of the incentive program's cost.
Kevin Bouffard can be reached at [email protected] or at 863-802-7591.
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