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Council advances first reading for $4.3M Buford Executive Airport hangar investment after heated questions
Summary
Council held a sustained debate but carried first reading of an ordinance to invest $4.3 million from general fund balance in hangar construction at Buford Executive Airport; some members pressed for financial projections, and an effort to send the item back to committee failed.
Beaufort County Council on Dec. 9 approved first reading of an ordinance to invest $4.3 million from general fund balance in a hangar-construction project at Buford Executive Airport, advancing the proposal despite sustained questions about enterprise-fund policy, repayment terms and projected revenues.
John Rembold, the airport presentation lead, told council the project began in February and that the terminal expansion and related works are roughly "about 30% complete." He said building additional hangars would address a long waiting list and could attract aircraft to be based in Beaufort County, generating personal-property tax revenue and rental income. "We're roughly 30% complete on the project," Rembold said.
Several council members pushed for more financial detail. One member cited enterprise-fund principles and asked why general-fund balance would be used. Rembold replied that while the airport has generated personal-property tax revenue (he estimated about $2.5 million over the last 10 years), those revenues historically flowed into the general fund rather than being reinvested at the airport. He said the county's contribution would be an attempt to reinvest and grow future revenue.
Council debated possible structures (loan, grant or hybrid), payback periods and whether the airport's past unstructured loan balance had been repaid in full. One motion to send the measure back to committee for additional modeling was proposed but failed after multiple objections. The council then proceeded with first reading; members requested detailed financial projections and options (15-, 25-, 30-year payback scenarios and interest-rate assumptions) for second reading and public input.
The first reading advances the ordinance but leaves the financial terms to be fleshed out before a final vote. Council members signaled support for airport growth while asking for more specific revenue and rate modeling to ensure the enterprise fund becomes self-sustaining.
