Airport board members are breathing easier Tuesday after they avoided a potential worker's strike on the new airport site.

"We sat down with the contractors and subs yesterday and worked through issues on both sides," explained Airport Authority executive director Randy Curtis.

Officials hammered out a schedule to streamline the payment process to primary contractor Phoenix Construction. But, there is still one major sticking point that has plagued the construction of the new airport for months.

Tuesday, airport board members authorized up to $1.2 million for additional erosion control, specifically sod.

Engineers will determine what action is warranted by "looking at the areas on the site they feel like should be considered for sod or other erosion control measures in order to get the storm water ponds up and operating," said Curtis.

But, there are disagreements over who should pay for the extra sod.

"We shouldn't foot the bill at $3.51 a square yard when we were supposed to have the work done for $0.49 a yard by seed," said Airport Authority vice-chairman Bill Cramer.

Cramer says the contractor should foot the bill because the work was not done properly. The board is reserving its right to recoup the funding at a later date, which could lead to costly litigation.

"We have spent several millions of dollars in attorney's fees on this project, which has gone not into the infrastructure of the project, providing better service, lower costs," said Cramer.

Curtis says the differences could be resolved through mediation or in court. But he says the top priority, for now, is completing the new airport for the May 23 opening.

In preparation for the opening, officials are also ironing out rental car concessions and ground transportation policies.