An aerial view of Sawyer International Airport is shown. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — At its regular meeting today the Marquette County Board of Commissioners will consider a hangar expansion at Sawyer International Airport, as well as bids for runway deicing product and a rental car fuel dispensing unit.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in room 231 of the Henry A. Skewis Annex.

The airport was awarded a Federal Aviation Administration Military Airports Program grant earlier this year for the expansion of Hangar 665, which serves as the maintenance repair and overhaul facility for Envoy Air Inc. or American Eagle Airlines. Board approval is needed to enter into the first phase of the project — the engineering and design phase.

Airport staff is recommending the board approve consultation agreements from Mead & Hunt for engineering and design of the project at a cost of roughly $1.22 million. Nearly $1.1 million of the funding is a federal share while the remaining balance is split evenly between state and the county. The local share hasn’t been reviewed for passenger facility charge reimbursement yet, but will be submitted for evaluation, an airport memorandum states.

This phase of the project will include water distribution improvements, fire suppression, electrical, site planning, HVAC and structural modification. If approved, this phase is scheduled for completion by mid-2020 and will be followed with bids for construction.

A bid for the purchase of a runway deicing agent will also be considered by the board.

Various tools are used throughout the winter months to clear the airport runway, one being a deicing agent that provides “exceptional results,” documents state. To prepare for the coming season, airport staff asked for bids for up to 20,000 pounds of deicing agent on an as-needed basis throughout the next season. Of the three bids received, airport staff is recommending the board approve a bid from New Deal Deicing for $1,031 per 1,000 pounds of product.

“Having the deicing agent coupled with runway brooms provides timely results to a clear surface, limiting delays, cancellations and making Sawyer International Airport a more reliable regional airport during the winter months,” a memorandum from airport staff states.

Airport staff are also asking the board to approve a bid for an on-site fueling station for the car rental agencies.

Because of the distance to a gas station from the airport, the agencies have been requesting an on-site fueling station.

“An on-site fueling station will provide the benefit of time and money savings when refueling cars,” board documents state.

The Customer Facility Charge, a $2.50 fee per rental car per day, which is for rental-related improvements and costs will be used to fund the station. Sawyer staff received a sole bid for a 1,500-gallon Fireguard double-wall above-ground storage tank with dispenser to be located at the car wash facility from Great Lakes Petroleum Service Inc. at a cost of $32,240. If approved, the facility charge has a sufficient balance to cover the purchase and ongoing maintenance, documents state.

At the meeting, the board will also select a qualified survey firm for the remonumentation of Marquette County.

Trinity Carey can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206.