TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Katherine Bales, Assistant Airport Manager
SUBJECT: Approve Capital Improvement Project for Runway 6-24 End Lighting Replacement, PW 26-14 at the Napa County Airport, and an associated budget amendment.
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize the creation of Capital Improvement Project 26016, “Runway 24 End Lighting Replacement Project” PW 26-14 and an associated Budget Amendment for the emergency replacement of Runway 24 end threshold lighting. (Fiscal Impact $150,100 Expense; Airport Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 vote required]
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BACKGROUND
On July 10, 2025, a transient Jet aircraft departed the Napa County Airport from Runway 24 at max power and caused several large pavement pieces of the blast pad and two of the eight Runway 24 end threshold lights to dislodge into the Runway Safety Area. This exposed sections of live high-voltage electrical cable, potentially fatal to people and wildlife near it. Airport Operations staff immediately secured the electrical circuit to the end threshold lighting system, issued proper notices to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and began to repair the blast pad area where feasible. The end threshold lighting of a runway identifies the edge of pavement for aircraft landing from both directions on the runway and is required for safe landing during nighttime and inclement weather operations. Inoperable lights require FAA notice of non-standard to pilots and results in limits to nighttime and inclement weather operations, leading to unsafe airfield conditions.
On or about July 11, 2025, the Airport’s airfield lighting contractor was called to assess the damage and propose repairs. After assessment, the lighting contractor determined there was no way to repair the existing system as the end threshold lighting is original to the 1940’s era runway, with high voltage electrical cables directly buried in the ground without conduits or safety measures. It was determined that replacement of the damaged system would be required to bring it up to FAA safety standards. As we head into winter months, if Runway 24 end threshold lights are not operational, the Airport has to close this primary runway at night and during inclement weather due to poor visibility, leading to inconsistent and less safe airfield operations. In addition, under Advisory Circulars AC 150/5345-46E and 150/5340-26C, the FAA requires prompt attention by Napa County to repairs that cause runway closures.
Prior to moving forward with repairs, the Airport required electrical design to replace the lighting and bring the damaged end threshold lighting system up to current FAA safety standards. On August 19, 2025, the board approved Amendment No.1 to Agreement No. 250309B with Mead & Hunt to design the Runway 24 edge lighting system to meet current FAA standards. The design was completed on or around September 26, 2025. Airport staff requested informal bid proposals from Vellutini Corporation dba: Royal Electric Co (Royal Electric) and St. Francis Electric based on the Mead & Hunt design. Royal Electric provided a bid for $137,100 and could meet the emergent timeframes to make the system operational. St. Francis provided a quote significantly higher at $251,710. Due to the 12-week lead time on electrical components, Royal Electric was asked to move forward and order the required airfield lighting.
On October 24, 2025, Construction Contract 260208B with Royal Electric was executed by the Chief Executive Officer per Resolution No. 2015-37 with a maximum compensation of $137,100 to perform emergency threshold runway lighting repairs (Agreement attached for reference). On October 27, 2025, the Board received and reviewed a report of an emergency Public Works action in response to damaged runway lighting accomplished without competitive bidding as authorized by Resolution No. 2015-37 and determined that based on the report from Public Works, the emergency did not permit the delay associated with competitive bidding procedures, and that the actions were necessary to respond to the emergency pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22050.
Under Resolution No. 2015-37, the Board of Supervisors must initially review an emergency repair project ordered by the Chief Executive Officer or Director of Public Works within 7 days of the emergency action, or at the next regular meeting scheduled. If the action is approved, the Board of Supervisors must review the emergency action at every regularly scheduled meeting thereafter (but not more often than every two weeks) until the Board determines the emergency situation no longer exists (unless the action is terminated earlier by the Chief Executive Officer or Director of Public Works).
Today’s action is requesting to establish a Capital project and approve a budget amendment to cover the emergency contract work and staff time that is required to replace the end threshold runway lighting on Runway 24 and bring it up to current safety standards (Budget Summary attached for reference). A future project to address the remaining lighting for Runway 24 and joint repair is planned through the FAA grant program in federal fiscal year 2028 and is not a part of the emergency project to address the immediate life, safety concerns.
Requested Actions related to the “Runway 24 End Lighting Replacement Project”:
1. Approve creation of a new Airport Capital Improvement Project 26016, PW 26-14 for the “Runway 24 End Lighting Replacement Project”;
2. Approve a Budget Amendment for the following:
a. Increase Intrafund Transfers-Out appropriation by $150,100 in the Airport Operations budget (Fund 5010, Subdivision 5010000) offset by the use of its available fund balance to transfer to Project 26016 and increase its Intrafund Transfers-In revenue (Fund 5010, Subdivision 5010500, Project 26016, Account 49900);
b. Increase Engineer Services appropriation by $13,000 in Project 26016 budget (Fund 5010, Subdivision 5010500, Project 26016, Account 52145) transferred from Airport Operations; and
c. Increase Construction Services appropriation by $137,100 in Project 26016 budget (Fund 5010, Sub-Division 5010500, Project 26016, Account 52360) transferred from Airport Operations.
[4/5 vote required]
FISCAL IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
This is a new capital project with funding sourced from the Airport Enterprise Fund (Fund 5010). |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Damage to Runway 24 Threshold system created unsafe field conditions and required the system to be shut down. The lighting system identifies the end threshold of the Runway and prompt repair is required by the FAA. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Regular maintenance of airfield systems has been contemplated and planned for future budget cycles. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Napa County Airport will continue to be non-compliant with FAA standards and create a “unsafe condition” notice on our annual inspections, potentially leading to Grant Assurance violations. |
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Additional Information |
Strategic Initiative: Build Healthy, Connected Communities |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act [See Class 1 (“Existing Facilities”) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act at 14 CCR 15301. See also Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the
California Environmental Quality Act, Appendix B.].