Saying that there are “sensitive issues” surrounding the restoration of local airports and maintaining them, V.I. Port Authority board members still laid bare their concerns about contractor Lemartec and the performance of the agency’s maintenance staff.
“There has been no meaningful progress at the airports since the storms,” acting Attorney General Carol Jacobs said candidly at Wednesday’s meeting on St. Thomas.
In a report delivered earlier in the meeting, VIPA’s acting Executive Director Damian Cartwright hit on both points by updating the board on progress made with Lemartec to roll out more manpower and resources, along with efforts to revamp the authority’s maintenance division and bring on new staff.
There’s been an ongoing challenge with Lemartec in getting the contractors they need to finish the projects they’re contracted for, Cartwright said. Even with job fairs and other initiatives, the company has had difficulty sourcing labor, a phenomenon that Cartwright said is being experienced territory-wide since Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit in 2017.
VIPA selected Lemartec as the construction manager at risk to oversee the restoration of a majority of the agency’s hurricane damaged facilities. Board members have expressed concerns over the company’s progress for months, but focused specifically Wednesday on progress made at the airports, including the restoration of roofs and improvements to the departure lounge at St. Thomas’ Cyril E. King Airport.
VIPA has had a general meeting with the company to explore opportunities to speed up the restoration process, Cartwright said Wednesday, and nailed down some deadlines. During the week of Feb. 25, the public should expect to see a “significant improvement in the rollout of manpower and resources” by the company, Cartwright added. Meanwhile, Cartwright said VIPA, on its own, has initiated the procurement process for some smaller projects but is suffering from the same issues as it did when it put the major restoration projects out to bid: a lack of qualified companies responding.
Board member Yvonne Thraen said, given that, it’s more efficient to work with Lemartec to see what the company can get done than adding to the timeline by putting the projects out to bid again and starting over with a new company.
Board member and Tourism Commissioner designee Joseph Boschulte countered that if the company isn’t performing, it’s time to draw the line. Speaking of comments from travelers he meets at the airports, Boschulte said, “VIPA is the steward of the airports and if the contractor is not executing, then VIPA has the responsibility to figure out what happens next.”
“It’s past the honeymoon period for Irma and Maria,” he added. “We had the time to get things fixed, but the time has come where we have to start seeing tangible results in these areas.”
Focusing on maintenance, Cartwright said VIPA is looking to reorganize its operations and transfer four or five staff members from the general maintenance pool. Per Federal Aviation Administration requirements, those staff members also need to be trained, but efforts are ongoing to address the issues.
“To have a solution just to have a solution and kick the can around doesn’t work,” board member Lee Steiner said after continued concerns were raised about the appearance of the Cyril King parking lot and bathrooms. “If this is what you feel will resolve this issue I’ll support it, but if it’s a solution where we’re going to have this discussion again in a few months I’d be disappointed. Now is the time to have an honest discussion about what it’s going to take to cure this major issue at the airport.”
Thraen and a few other board members pushed for the discussion to continue in executive session due to what they said were “sensitive issues” surrounding both maintenance and restoration.
Meanwhile, to help with staffing, the board approved Wednesday:
– The creation of a new construction management officer position to provide engineering oversight and monitor the construction schedules of VIPA’s projects,
– The creation of a civil engineer position on St. Croix,
– An incentive package to cover relocation expenses for new employees coming from abroad. The board said Wednesday that the package – $2,000 with a commitment to work for VIPA for a year – would help attract highly skilled applicants for hard to fill positions.
Lamertec has to go! Obviously they are not the right guys for the job! There are companies standing in line ready to do this this job! The problem with Lamertec is they don’t want to pay their employees their proper and decent wage. McDonald’s wages will not cut it when workers and supervisor can make more money elsewhere. The company wants to keep as much profit as they can for themselves and distract people with the excuse of labor shortage. Bring them in. Get the job done and end excuses. Someone at PA need to get a backbone. This whole charade makes me nervous. Something don’t smell right to me.
In addition aren’t contacts given a time line. Usually if the job isn’t completed by a certain time there is a penalty for each day they are late.
Is Lamertec the company that is doing the Red Hook parking area? Hope not! The company that worked/working on the Red Hook project took shortcuts and made the structure’s foundation/ footings unsafe and inspectors knew about it. An engineering disaster waiting to happen and Another cover up.
“Sensitive issues” need to be addressed. What sensitive issues? Secret deals? Insiders agreements that the public is not aware of? Come on what happened to transparency! Just say what it is instead of creating more suspicion and paranoia.
Finally when PA hires their engineer to manage these projects, make sure he is qualified. Don’t hire a friend of a cousin of s sister. Hire a seasoned engineer with a large project list of experience and the correct credentials. And be prepared to pay them them some money because good ones don’t come cheap. About $150-$200 an hour.
PS: When you put jobs out for bid make sure they are advertised nationally and update your website with the list of contracts that are coming out for bid and make sure someone is answering the phones and replying to emails. And most importantly, don’t hold on to contractors’s moneies for years and cry about not finding companies to bid work in the Virgin Islands. Companies all along the coast of the US knows that the VI government doesn’t pay on time and sometimes not at all. They need to stop their bu—sh— and do what is considered good business practices or we will see more deterioration and unfinished projects
Amen
It’s time for traparency VIPA. We need our airports to be upgraded. What about the jet bridges for disable passengers? Why the territory is behind on this? People wanted change and it must happen through every agency and business
Ugh, the STT departure lounge is a depressing and ugly place. What a terrible way for our visitors to end their vacations after spending their savings here on our islands! Its gross, and the food stands are ridiculously overpriced.
Suggestion. If the final design for the airport does not have a hotel maybe they should consider putting one in their plans. Sometimes travelers without transportation and doing business in VI need a place to stay for a night or two and want to stay close to the airport. Additionally, there are also persons whose flight has been cancelled or delayed until the next day and need a place to stay for the night. Just an idea. There are companies that concentrate solely on airport hotels. Research the idea and see if it is feasible.