Airport Consultants Lobbying for F-35s

March 9, 2020 7:58 am

Mead and Hunt aren’t only the consultants on the Jail Project, they are consultants for the PFAS contamination at the airport as well. And, seem to be lobbying in support of F-35s. Does that seem right to you?

WHAT IS MEAD AND HUNT DOING AT THE AIRPORT?

As the corporation council staff person Amy Tetwiler described at the Lakes and Watershed meeting in January:

Compliance with DNR directives. DNR directives in the October set deadlines for the county and other responsible parties to take certain specific actions to proceed with the investigation of where the PFAS in Starkweather Creek is coming from. Dane County has met all of its deadlines. At this stage of the process the county has hired a consultant which is Mead and Hunt. You should understand they have a very in-depth knowledge of the county stormwater system, they also are following the PFAS developments at the national level. In terms of what our deliverables are for the DNR we were required, in December, to submit a work plan for our next steps.

County plan. The plan that Mead and Hunt submitted on behalf of Dane County includes further sampling of the airport stormwater system. The goal of which is to determine what the source of discharge coming into the stormwater system is and then additional investigation into the historic airport operations that would be relevant to PFAS use. So we can do our best, a remediation process always wisely has to start with an investigation. Knowing that we have it in a creek is step one. Step two is to answer where is it coming from and how did it get there basically. With that goal in mind, you’re gonna look for where the amounts are highest, basically it’s a system of prioritizing. Since the consultants have submitted that report, as I mentioned it was in December, we now have this new sampling results from DNR in Starkweather Creek which came out in January (January 15). So the county’s consultant is now in the process of revising the work plan and to factor in this new information the new data into their investigation process. What I can tell you, I’m sure is frustrating to hear, but the process of an investigation has to occur in steps. So what will happen is at each step of the sampling the consultants will be able to further define where the PFAS is located and ultimately the goal is to identify where in the ground it is coming from. In other words what’s the source. Understanding that the what where the PFAS originates the property is going to be an essential part to to making wise decisions about how to remediate it going forward.

WHEN DID MEAD AND HUNT GET THAT CONTRACT?

This surprised me because I look at all the agendas and I don’t remember Mead and Hunt getting more money from the County. It took me a couple false leads and an open records request or two (one answered, one not) to figure it out.

Open records request #1

The request to the Corporation Council and Risk Manager from last Tuesday has not yet been answered

Please send me the following regarding the work Mead and Hunt is doing at the Airport regarding PFAS chemicals, the DNR orders or related to the the F-35s. I am specifically looking for the following:

– The Contract for their services

– Documents related to the bidding for those services – any RFPs, bidding proposals, etc.

– Correspondence about the performance of the work or progress they are making on the work they are contracted to do, including preliminary work products.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Brenda Konkel

I’m still hoping for a reply, but not holding my breath.

Open records request #2

This one was answered within hours. We had some correspondence back and forth and I got at least part of the information I was looking for.

This is the RFP (old = RFP #114034 Airport On Call Consulting new = RFP 119059 On Call Services – Airport) and this is the contract (old = Contract 11886 signed – Mead and Hunt new = RFP 119059 On Call Services – Airport).

Turns out it was from Res 189 in 2019 titled “AUTHORIZING A PURCHASE OF SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR ON-CALL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE DANE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT”

WHAT SERVICES WERE THEY SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE?

According to the last contract the “task orders will be small in scope and of short duration” which wouldn’t describe the the DNR and PFAS work. But that language doesn’t appear in the new contract. The old contract was also limited to $50,000 a year. That language also doesn’t appear in this contract. The contract does not have a maximum amount to be spent. The fiscal note indicates a limit of $75,000 a year.

From the RFP:

3.5 Scope of Services/Specifications

3.5.1 Project Management Services
Successful Proposer shall designate an overall project manager assigned specifically to this contract. That person shall be licensed as an engineer by the State of Wisconsin and have multiple years of experience at an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater. This person should have a thorough knowledge of all disciplines listed below and shall be locally based. This person will be responsible for planning, coordinating and managing all personnel and projects under this contract.

3.5.2 Survey Services
Includes topographical surveys, property surveys by persons licensed as a Land Surveyor by the State of Wisconsin, lease descriptions and easement descriptions. Personnel must have multiple years of experience with an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater.

3.5.3 Environmental Services
Includes storm water monitoring and testing, glycol management system monitoring and testing, wetland bank administration, Hazardous Material studies and other environmental services as needed. The project manager, which must have a Wisconsin PE, shall have multiple years of experience with negotiating Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits in Wisconsin. The storm water engineer must have a less than 30 minute response time to the airport. Personnel must have experience with an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater.

3.5.4 Planning Services
Includes Airport land side and airside facility planning. The designated project engineer/planner must be licensed by the State of Wisconsin with multiple years of experience at an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater The successful proposer will be required to respond to aircraft terminal gate utilization projects within 24 hours and will show demonstrated experience using FAA aircraft design group criteria for all aeronautical applications.

3.5.5 Engineering Services
Includes Airport land side and airside projects. This will also include building projects, pavement design, drainage design, electrical system designs and other engineering design services as needed. Engineers must be licensed by the State of Wisconsin. Lead personnel within each discipline must have multiple years of experience at an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater. The successful proposer will show demonstrated experience using FAA airport design criteria.

3.5.6 Architectural Services
For various Airport expansion and improvement projects. Architects must be licensed by the State of Wisconsin. Lead personnel must have multiple years of experience with an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater. The successful proposer will show demonstrated experience using FAA airport design criteria. Projects may include passenger flow modeling, Transportation Security Administration space planning requirements, baggage handling design and hold room/jet bridge design. Demonstrated experience with these types of projects is required

3.5.7 Air Service Development
Includes airline leakage studies, airline marketing and general consultation to the Airport on airline service issues. Personnel must have multiple years of experience with an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater and experience working in the Network Planning Group at a major airline. Detailed experience preparing air service development documents using US DOT data must be provided.

3.5.8 IT and Electronic Consulting
Includes standard development and general consultation on airport IT and electronic issue such as access control, terminal area and airfield perimeter cameras and other related services. Personnel must have multiple years of experience with an air carrier airport with an FAA designation as a small hub or greater.

LOBBYING??

So, Mead and Hunt is doing the work at the airport for the county. In the mean time, their staff are at least lobbying the city about F-35s. I asked the clerk’s office to send me the lobbyist registration forms for 2020 and the expense reports for 2019. I’m waiting for their reply. I shouldn’t have to ask them, because they should be on line. The clerk’s office hasn’t put the 2020 lobbyist registration forms on line yet.

I can’t confirm is this person is a registered lobbyist for Mean and Hunt over the weekend while the clerk’s office is closed. However, given this email is sent from a work email address and this person refers to the work they do, this person appears to be lobbying on behalf of Mead and Hunt, or leveraging her work at Mead and Hunt to lend credibility to her support of F-35s.

From: Sondra Retzlaff <sondra.retzlaff@meadhunt.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2020 11:36 AM
To: All Alders
Subject: the resolution opposing the F-35 basing

Dear Alders,

I am writing to say that I oppose the resolution that opposes the basing of the F-35s at Truax Field. I fully support the 115^th Fighter Wing and the F-35 mission. I was one of many people who supported the selection of Truax Field for this privilege and honor. Having several people who have served in my family, I deeply respect military service members and their families who are a part of the tapestry of our community.

The reports I have seen of the activists and protesters focus on the negative aspects of having these aircraft based at the airport. What I know from working in the industry I work in (and the branch of Aviation Services) is that the concerns are things that are evaluated as part of the process and mitigation is likely going to be part of the plan so that everyone can live peaceably.

Please make every effort in representing all of the facts and considering all members of the community, including the military service members who already live here. Please do not allow a divisive group of protesters represent the values and opinions of all residents of Dane County. I will not be able to attend the City Council meeting to express these views in person, but I wanted to email so that you know about my views.

Thank you for your consideration,

Sondra Retzlaff

I attempted to contact her to find out if she is being paid to lobby on behalf of Mead and Hunt but her email bounced:

CONCERNS

First of all, the seemingly open ended and vague contract with the county for Mead and Hunt at the airport is disturbing.

Second of all, these services for the airport don’t seem to be “on-call” services. This seems to be a new on-going project of long term duration that should have a second contract.

And third, while not illegal if they are filing all their forms with the city, it seems inappropriate for the company contracted to clean up the PFAS mess at the airport is also lobbying to bring F-35s to the airport.