By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER-Managing editor
According to an announcement from airport officials, the Brewton Municipal Airport is attempting to negotiate a contract with a consultant agency and will hire a new airport consultant to the mix.
Brewton City Council will deliberate in the next few weeks on the recommendation from the airport committee on hiring Volkert &Associates, Inc. an engineering firm based out of Mobile as the new engineering firm for the airport.
Every five years it is required that airports in Alabama re-advertise for engineering services. Earl Lambert, the airport manager, told council members that the airport committee unanimously selected Volkert during its extensive evaluation process.
Volkert, a name synonymous with large buildings and firms, has the ability to maneuver smaller accounts and currently works with smaller airport agencies, Lambert said.
The other top candidates were Garver &Garver, a Huntsville firm, and Northstar Engineering Services, a Dothan firm.
Recently, the airport committee received an $88,000 grant funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The money will be used for airport rehabilitation and the addition of a room in the lounge. According to Lambert, the airport lounge is in a "state of disrepair."
The cost of the project would only require a 5 percent fee from the city. The state would pay another 5 percent and the FAA would pick up 90 percent.
The project is purely an architectural job and would require no engineering consultant work, Lambert said.
As a result, the airport committee is trying to negotiate a contract with architect John Chambliss of Chambliss, Brown and Associates. Chambliss has a "working relationship" with Lambert, and he has worked on numerous projects in the city of Brewton, including renovation at Dogwood Hills.
The proposed fee for hiring Chambliss was estimated at $8,400, which will include all architectural fees including preparation of drawings, building bid packages, and he will have a direct involvement on the selection of the job, as well as the selection of the bidder. The fee also includes a one-year evaluation.
City council members and Mayor Ted Jennings will review all of the information and deliver an answer in coming weeks.