The cost of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport expansion has climbed from the original bid of $22.5 million to $27.8 million and is expected to reach $31 million before its completion, an increase of more than one-third.
Some Port Authority Board members balked at Wednesday's board meeting when asked to approve the most recent increase via change order from the contractor, Quality Builders, Inc.
"When is this project going to be completed so we can stop this bleeding?" asked board member Attorney General Iver Stridiron.
Executive Director Gordon Finch defended the company. Some change orders came from the Port Authority and some came from the airport tenants, that is airlines. "It's just something that we've got to deal with" in this type of major project.
Finch said staff have been careful about keeping down the costs. They whittled down Quality's request for $3 million in this instance to $2.1 million.
He also said the St. Thomas airport expansion cost $42 million 10 years ago, or, in 2000 dollars, roughly twice as much as the $31 million anticipated for the St. Croix project, which is targeted for an August 2001 completion.
"I'm asking this board not to abandon me now," Finch said.
They didn't. Only Stridiron voted against approval of payment.
Stridiron also complained about paying $144,000 to Misener Marine Construction, Inc. to cover cost overruns the company said it incurred at the Ann E. Abramson facility on St. Croix because its work hours were curtailed.
Finch argued for the payment, saying the Port Authority bowed to pressure from residents who did not want their Sunday or Saturday religious services interrupted by the noise of construction. It was the authority that ordered Misener not to work on weekends, thus extending the time of the project and running up their overhead for such items as equipment rental.
Stridiron was successful in holding the decision and convincing other board members that company representatives should make their case at the next board committee meeting, rather than just to the staff.
The board approved a larger payment to Misener, however, to cover another change order. At the urging of the U.S. Navy, the Navy League and other community groups, the Port Authority will have Misener install ship-to-shore electric power at the facility in order to lure submarines to use it. The cost is $580,437.
The board approved splitting the $45,000 cost of improving restroom facilities in downtown Charlotte Amalie with the West Indian Company. Stridiron voted against it because it did not include a contribution from the business community.
Acting Tourism Commissioner Monique Hodge, who is also acting board chairman, said she had approached the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce about a three-way split. They didn't say no, she said, but they didn't come up with the money either, and with the tourist season upon us "I cannot wait any longer."
A brief report from Finch on the Crown Bay development project was the perfect cue for several board members and staff to criticize WICO president Edward Thomas for his remarks last week before the Ad Club.
Not only did they chastise Thomas for suggesting the Port Authority abandon the Crown Bay project, they did not like his support of a Tourism Authority that would oversee the Port Authority and WICO.
Finch asked for and received permission from the board to make that case on its behalf in public speaking engagements and other forums.
