Back in August 2023, the Winnemucca Airport Board approved the beginning design phases of a project with Armstron Consultants to update the Magnetic variation (MAGVAR) displayed on the Winnemucca Municipal Airport runway, wind cones, and lighting, all necessary for pilot and public safety, costing $89,590.
The next phase of the project will cost $56,020 and will involve entering into an agreement for professional services from Armstrong Consultants for bidding, construction and the closeout phase of the updates.
Airport Board Chairman Brad Wigglesworth addressed the Council and explained that this most recent portion of work under consideration had not been brought before the Airport Board before reaching the Council, so the Airport Board members could not weigh in and offer any guidance or expertise.
“We’d like to see the contract and see what that scope of work is,” said Wigglesworth.
Usually, the Airport Board offers direction for matters regarding the airport before they reach the Council and the Council ultimately holds the power to veto or affirm the decisions, according to Wigglesworth.
“If this is approved today, the Airport Board would have no leverage whatsoever to make any request for any changes of the agreement with Armstrong,” said Wigglesworth.
When asked what effect tabling the decision would have on the project, Heiser explained that it would just delay things for a week, as the Airport Board would be meeting shortly after the Council and then the Council could decide on the request at their next meeting.
“If we approve this today, I don’t think they would not approve it at an Airport Board level,” Councilman Owens said in opposition.
Heiser explained that the work involved in the engineering process is extensive and “design heavy” in nature due to special regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration when Wigglesworth questioned the cost and what the next portion of the project would entail.
“As far as the design cost being very high, the construction cost is a very design heavy project because the magnetic variation is all just paperwork and working with the FAA. It doesn’t really require any actual construction work per se…once they have the design, it’s pretty minimal work in the field because it’s just coming to replace the paint markings and just installing the new lights that we are ordering and installing the new wind cones,” explained Heiser.
Councilman Vince Mendiola made the motion to table the request in order to give the Airport Board a chance to weigh in on the matter. The motion passed with Mike Owen in opposition.
In other Council news:
• The Council approved a request from the Nevada Parks Department to put a historical marker at Riverview Park to provide historic information about the Humboldt River.
According to City Manager Alicia Heiser, the marker was originally at the Button Point rest stop, but since its closure, the state department requested the move.
The marker provides a history of the Humboldt River, its discovery and founder, Skene Ogden.
• The Council approved a request to abandon a portion of the Museum Lane right-of-way adjacent to the Humboldt Museum in order to eliminate a property line that bisects structures at the Humboldt Museum.
According to Humboldt Museum Director Dana Toth, the Museum does not intend to build over the property lines, they just want to clean up the property lines surrounding the museum.
The Council approved the motion with the condition that 90 feet on the east end of the area proposed for abandonment by the City be excluded in order to maintain utilities access for Southwest Gas and with all other existing City utility easements remain intact.