Port approves security-camera project at Pangborn, Trades District and Malaga

EAST WENATCHEE — Security cameras at Pangborn Memorial Airport, the Trades District and port facilities in Malaga will be upgraded under a $383,250 project approved Oct. 27 by Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority commissioners.

The work will bring separate camera systems into a consolidated system, improve image quality and establish a foundation the port can expand as funding allows. Commissioners awarded the construction contract to Prime Electric for $239,436.72, including sales tax, and separately approved the overall project budget.

The first phase includes improvements at Pangborn’s passenger terminal and general aviation terminal, the first phase of the Trades District and Malaga facilities.

Construction Project Manager Wade Oswald said the award followed a second round of bidding. The port received four bids Oct. 20, with Prime Electric identified as the lowest responsive bidder.

Commissioners had rejected the earlier bids and sought new proposals after concerns about the spread between bid amounts.

The overall budget includes approximately $57,900 for design and construction administration, $51,800 for owner-supplied equipment through Firefly, $5,000 in indirect costs and a $29,100 contingency.

During the discussion, port officials described limitations in the existing cameras and the difficulty of working with separate systems. Design West reviewed the equipment and developed recommendations for consolidating it.

Officials said clearer images would improve the usefulness of recordings, including the ability to identify people. Commissioners also pointed to the value of camera coverage at the Trades District, the airport’s fueling facilities and the Malaga cooling-water system.

The project is intended to create a common system that can accommodate additional cameras at other locations in future years.

Commissioners also asked how recordings would be retained and whether the cameras could integrate with the port’s new telephone system. Staff said they would check compatibility with the engineers and address records retention as part of implementation.

Kuntz said a camera policy addressing retention requirements was expected to return to the board within the next several meetings.

The project budget anticipates approximately $108,250 in costs during 2026 and $275,000 during 2027.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media