Gary, airport panel in accord for IT services
The board that governs the Gary/Chicago International Airport gave its approval Friday to a contract extension with Gary city government for continued information technology services.
The airport board voted 4-0, with board President Stephen Mays and board member James Cooper abstaining, in favor of having city government continue to provide computer-related services for the airport.
Airport Executive Director Dan Vicari said the city provides assistance in maintaining the computers used by the airport, while also maintaining the server those computers rely upon.
Airport attorney Michael Tolbert said the new contract is similar to the old agreement the airport had with city government. He said the changes include legal clauses allowing the agreement to be broken if either the airport or the city so desire, and also clauses related to indemnification that would require the airport to be reimbursed, or to reimburse another entity, if there is any displeasure with services provided.
Tolbert said such clauses are standard legal language in any contract agreement, and he said he does not think the additions to the airport's contract with the city significantly changes the way in which the agreement will operate.
“These are standard provisions found in any contract,” Tolbert said. The contract originally was to be approved by the airport authority back in August. But continued talks between the airport and the city delayed approval until now.
The airport authority also signed off on an extension of a contract with DLZ Industrial Inc. Based in Burns Harbor, the company is providing services related to the extension of the runway at the Gary/Chicago airport.
Their contract is set to expire at year's end, but Vicari said there are services that still need to be done with regards to a Federal Aviation Administration-required study of soil and groundwater on parts of the newly expanded runway.
Vicari said work on those studies could begin as soon as next week, but he said the extension is required to ensure the company completes the project. The airport authority's board voted 6-0 to approve the extension.
In other business, the airport authority also voted without opposition to approve a temporary license and access agreement between the airport, the city and Highland-based American Structurepoint.
The agreement relates to the upcoming project to widen Airport Road from Cline Avenue to Clark Road. Most of the project is within the airport's right-of-way, but Vicari said there is a traffic box that technically lies just outside of the airport's control and is within the city's jurisdiction.
Without the agreement approved Friday, Vicari said it was possible the Indiana Department of Transportation would refuse to approve the grants that the airport is counting on to provide funding for improving the road that provides primary access to the airport.
He also said that bids will be accepted later this month for contracts for the removal of two railroad bridges whose presence would interfere with the Airport Road project. Those bridges had been used by railroad tracks used by Canadian National and Norfolk Southern railways.
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