CITY SEEKS NEW EXTENSION ON AIRPORT TOWER

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A six-month controversy concerning operation of the air traffic control tower at the Cape Girardeau Airport will likely be settled at the March 18 city council meeting.

In the meantime, the council is being asked to extend, for a third time, the operating agreement between the FAA and the city, said City Manager J. Ronald Fischer.

The extension, through March 31, is on the agenda for Monday's council meeting.

Fischer said Saturday that the Airport Advisory Board will review the tower situation at its meeting Wednesday. He expects a recommendation from the board to the council at the March 18 council meeting.

The city last year took over control of the tower following complaints that the company that was paid to run it hadn't always provided the required number of traffic controllers.

The city was to operate the tower under a five-year contract with the FAA that was renewable each year. But the FAA in October refused to renew the control tower contract with the city, requiring instead that bids on the service be let.

The city's contract with the FAA expired Sept. 30, but the city council in October extended the contract through December while officials evaluated the bids that were submitted. Since then, the contract was extended two more times to run through March.

Two private contractors and the city bid on the contract in November. Midwest Air Traffic Control of Industrial Airport, Kan., submitted the lowest bid.

"We received a letter shortly after the last airport advisory board meeting," Fischer said. "The FAA did not agree with our evaluation and felt the other company (Midwest Air Traffic Control) would be qualified and should be awarded the contract."

Fischer said the airport advisory board has not had an opportunity to discuss the latest FAA opinion. "We felt it should go back to the advisory board so they could make a recommendation. We didn't feel it should go directly to the council."

Fischer said the city disagreed with several issues concerning the tower operation contract.

"We felt we had a contract with the FAA and should not have to re-bid it," he said. "But the FAA upheld that we must bid."

After bids were received, Fischer said, the city was unhappy with the number of hours the low bidder proposed to operate the tower.

"The hours are within the guidelines of the FAA minimums," he said. "But it's not the number of hours the city feels the tower should be open."

"Again at that time, we analyzed the bids and corresponded with the FAA," Fischer said.

He said the FAA believes the contract should be awarded to Midwest Air Traffic Control.

Also on the agenda are two public hearings concerning special use permits for churches.

Hanover Lutheran Church, 2929 Perryville Road, and Mt. Auburn Christian Church, 930 Mt. Auburn Road, each seek a special use permit to build additions to the churches.

The council is also scheduled to discuss no parking zones on Kage Hills Drive, Siemers Drive and Campster Drive.