County advances airport RFP, tenants decry barricade and through‑the‑fence terms

Pickens County commissioners on April 9 advanced plans to solicit proposals to develop and lease hangar space at the county airport and approved a tenant site‑use change and a sublease, even as multiple aircraft owners publicly criticized a newly erected barricade and county terms they say threaten a long‑standing through‑the‑fence operation.

The most immediate action was a presentation of an RFP process from county staff and the airport engineer (Lead Edge Design Group). Bill, the staff presenter, described a draft RFP that would seek proposals for roughly 12–20 hangars in a designated area west of the runway, with proposed building footprints ranging from roughly 50x60 to 150x100 and a 100‑point scoring system that weighs financial plan, community economic impact, and proposer experience. The RFP target release date is June 1, with a target award on July 20, county staff said.

Why it matters: Tenants and pilots at the meeting said the county’s current actions—particularly a barricade that prevents access to the Thompson East hangars—have already displaced aircraft and…