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Board of Commissioners approve FY17 FAA funds during called meeting

PBOC420In a called meeting last week Paulding commissioners approved an agenda item tabled since their previous regular meeting to accept $624,526 in FAA funds for FY17 Airport Improvement Program grant and another $145, 885.50 for the Supplement 2 Environmental Assessment (EA) Grant.
The agenda item was tabled from the first June meeting until the second meeting on June 27 and remained tabled at that time. The vote was 4-1 with Chairman Carmichael opposed.
Then Paulding commissioners met for the called meeting on June 30, and, following some discussion regarding the outstanding bond balance connected with the airport, passed the agenda item with a 5-0 vote. Post 3 Commissioner Vernon Collett made the motion to approve and commented that he hoped that at least some of the funds could “...be used to show a good gesture back to the taxpayers and be used to help pay back some of the bond payment.”
Chairman Carmichael commented that per Finance Director Amy Pollard the PCAA authority is on schedule with the bond payments, the balance remaining is currently at $2,020,000, he said.
Post 2 Commissioner Todd Pownall stated that...at the end of the day I hope the airport authority will do what they can do to help out the tax payers and pay some of this debt back when they’re in the position to do so in the near future....”
During the morning session of their June 27th regular meeting, Acting Airport Director Terry Tibbitts addressed commissioners to provide them with background on the funding and the reasons for the funding disbursements.
Tibbitts said that the timing for funding disbursements is due to the delays that have centered on construction projects at the airport. So the intent was catch up projects that have already been completed and are past due that have no further requirements, he said. Tibbitts told Paulding commissioners.
Per the Intergovernmental agreement, Tibbitts said, “...this money is generated based on taxes...basically user fees that are then funneled through the airport improvement program to airports around the nation to maintain the infrastructure of the flying community,” he said. Additionally Tibbitts told commissioners the $145,000 amount is for the additional work done that was required in connection with the EA Supplement.
Other funding is reimbursement for projects already completed including water monitoring, wetlands mitigation, and other projects, he said. Tibbitts had served as the airport’s liaison to the FAA, which regulates and provided much of the funding to build Silver Comet Field in 2007. Paulding County Airport Authority then hired Tibbitts to take over from former director Blake Swafford. BOC FAA 800

JULY FAA CORRESPONDENCE
In a letter dated July 3rd and sent to both Chairman Carmichael and current Airport Authority Chairman Boyd Austin, the FAA’s Director of Airports Division, Southern Region, Stephen E. Hicks, expressed concern over two years of conflicting communications from both the Paulding Board of Commissioners and the Airport Authority, which said Hicks, “...has left the FAA with serious concerns about the County and Authority to satisfactorily perform their obligations as a federally obligated airport...and further that “...under the circumstances it does not appear that the County and the Authority are abiding by these commitments.”
Hicks clarified that the FAA will not be involved with disputes between the two entities, nor is it their role to do so, he said. In conclusion, Hicks delivered the directive that “...going forward, the FAA will respond only to joint communications submitted by, or on behalf of, both co-sponsors...with no exceptions until further notice.” Currently Silver Comet Field makes revenue from aircraft owners along with tenants like McNeel Builders Inc. and Silver Comet Maintenance. The airport has a goal and the capacity to serve up to 100 based aircraft.