Airport authority reappoints leaders, reviews finances and advances CIP work

The Athens-Clarke County Airport Authority voted to reappoint its leadership and spent most of its meeting reviewing financial results and capital-project progress, including Taxiway Bravo punch-list items, potential use of leftover funds to repair perimeter fencing, and a 45% design milestone for the new air-traffic-control tower.

Officer renewals and governance

At the start of the formal business, members affirmed motions to continue the current leadership for another year. The authority reappointed the chair for a further year, reappointed Keith Sanders as vice chair and Davin (staff) as secretary. Each motion was moved and seconded and members approved the nominations by affirmation with no recorded opposition.

Financial results

Mike reported consolidated financial performance for October through December, noting positive months driven by Jet A fuel sales, airport fees and lease receipts tied to seasonal sports events. He cited October revenue-over-expenses of roughly $213,000 and reported year-to-date revenue-over-expenses that grew across November and December, reaching about $844,000 by December. Staff noted some cost-of-goods timing effects in December tied to inventory purchases made in November.

Leases and revenue clarity

Members questioned a $67,000 favorable variance under leases in December. Staff said several tenants prepay annual rents at the start of the fiscal year and that the item likely reflects prepayments; staff agreed to verify the entries. Members were also told CPI adjustments applied after the fall budget process may raise lease revenues in the coming year.

Capital projects and funding

Staff updated members on Taxiway Bravo (substantially complete with punch-list items remaining), and said leftover funds from the Bravo project (about $148,000) could cover a fencing fix (~$140,000) required after an FAA inspection. If those funds are not allowable for the fencing work, staff will ask the authority to authorize a $150,000 draw from unrestricted airport funds.

The apron project was described as reduced in scope and planned as a 75/25 state project, and the airport’s staff discussed the need for a full Airport Layout Plan (ALP)/master plan — a project estimated at roughly $600,000 and tentatively targeted for 2027. Staff also reported a 45% design-completion meeting for the new tower with FAA involvement and said groundbreaking is targeted for next spring pending funding.

Other operational items

Staff described marketing and outreach efforts (youth tours and school career-fair participation) and reported that operations continues to track game-day charters; members discussed event parking and the operational strain (one recent football event brought roughly 60–70 charter aircraft, stressing ramp space and fueling logistics). Staff recommended incorporating game-day staging and event-parking options into the ALP/CIP planning.

What was decided

The authority: - Reappointed the chair, reappointed Keith Sanders as vice chair and Davin as secretary by affirmation (no recorded opposition). - Asked staff to verify the lease-payment variance and report back. - Authorized staff to pursue finishing Taxiway Bravo punch-list items and to request an authority draw if Bravo leftover funds cannot be used for fencing. - Directed staff to integrate hangar-wait-list verification, event-parking needs and consultant-suggested scope items into ALP/master-plan scoping.

Ending

Staff will circulate the final FY2024 annual report and coordinate with engineering on ALP timelines and the tower grant process. The authority adjourned with no objections and the next regular meeting was noted for the fourth Tuesday in March.