Commissioners approve several Pickens County Airport hangar leases; county to continue compliance work with GDOT and FAA

Pickens County commissioners approved a string of hangar lease transfers at the Pickens County Airport and said they plan a more detailed work session next year on compliance issues raised by state and federal aviation agencies.

The board approved a lease for Hangar I03, authorizing the chairman to sign the necessary documentation for tenant Colin Furlong. It also approved related assignment and new-lease documents for Hangars H01 (Learning to Fly, Joel and Sherry Little), H04 (assignments culminating with Dom Aviation), and H05 (assignment to Shane Godfrey). Each item was approved by motion and voice vote.

During the public comment period a pilot asked, "What's going on with the airport? What's the board's plans for the airport?" The chair responded that the county is addressing issues raised by GDOT and the Federal Aviation Administration and that the commission will schedule a work session early in 2026 for a fuller, public discussion once compliance items are resolved: "we're trying to work through getting the other things in place...to work closely with GDOT and FAA on everything that they've addressed."

Commissioners said lease assignments include standard assignment, termination of the assigned leasehold interest, and execution of new leases for incoming tenants. The meeting record shows the prior H01 tenant was Al Loveless and the H04 assignment chain included Wallace Reese and Keith Henry.

Next steps for airport items include county staff executing the approved lease documents and scheduling a public work session on airport compliance and advisory-board engagement in early 2026. The board did not provide detailed timelines for completing GDOT/FAA checklist items during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: Hangar I03 lease approved; Hangar H01 documents approved; Hangar H04 assignment and new lease approved; Hangar H05 assignment approved.