An aerial shot of the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS PORT AUTHORITY
The V.I. Port Authority board met Tuesday in St. Thomas for their monthly board meeting where several actions were taken.
During the executive session of the in-person meeting, the board authorized VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe to explore the possibility of a public/private partnership to expand and modernize both of the territory's main airports. A change order for a contract between VIPA and AT Construction was also approved.
The Projects Committee had several matters before them. During Tuesday’s meeting the committee accepted a $29.4 million dollar bid proposed by Grace Civil LLC for reconstructing part of the taxiway at the Cyril King Airport. A bid from NAME to perform similar work at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, in the sum of $6.98 million, was also accepted.
The committee also approved VIPA's aviation consultant for Cyril King Airport, Kimley-Horn & Associates, to provide topogragphic survey and design services related to airfield pavement markings, with costs for the work capped at $100,000.
An Emergency Fencing Repairs Contract was also authorized, enabling the executive director to contract with Julien Welding Service to provide emergency fencing repairs at VIPA’s aviation and marine properties in the St. Thomas/St. John District. The initial contract will be for one year, with the option for renewal for two additional one-year periods
The board also accepted a bid from Victor Fire Protection for the purchase and replacement of fire hydrants at the Cyril E. King Airport in the amount of $140,000.
The Projects Committee also approved an amendment to an existing contract between VIPA and BioImpact Inc. for water quality monitoring, environmental monitoring, remediation sampling, and mitigation services at the Gordon A. Finch Molasses Pier on St. Croix. The contract is now capped at just under $530,000.
Three agenda items were listed for the Property Committee but a lack of quorum meant that no action could be taken on those items. The next meeting of the V.I. Port Authority Board of Governors will be held in September.
