Authority Chairman J.M. Rawlinson said the study, which will take an estimated four to six months, will be conducted by authority Vice Chairman Gene Ernest, a corporate pilot with more than 40 years’ experience.
“While not claiming to be perfect, we believe that the airport is well-managed,” Rawlinson said in a letter Wednesday to Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe.
Commissioner Ken Smith, who said he thinks the study could be done in two to three weeks, criticized the airport at a meeting last month, saying it failed to cut its budget by 10 percent as the commission had requested. He said the authority simply cut a capital item request for an equipment storage shed.
He said there’s “a management problem at the airport and it needs to be addressed. The biggest problem is they don’t realize they’ve got a problem.”
Commissioner Richard English said he doesn’t like the “attitudes” of airport officials.
Other airports in this area have two to three employees, Smith said, but the LaGrange airport has six to eight. He said a “seasonal worker” at the airport earns more than a county correctional officer or a starting firefighter.
“They also have somebody to come in and cut the grass, water the flowers and vacuum the floor,” Smith said. “Their payroll is much, much larger than any surrounding airport.”
Smith said he favors a “zero budget” next year for the airport if improvements aren’t made.
Hope Macaluso manages the airport with an authority whose members are appointed by the local governments. The county helps pay for capital improvements, but day-to-day operations are funded by fuel sales and other income.
“For the county to threaten zero funding for the airport is cutting off their nose to spite their face,” she said after the meeting in June. “The airport is an asset for the whole county as a business development tool. It’s being run properly by a group of professionals.”
She noted that aircraft at the airport generate more than $80,000 annually in property taxes for the county and another $9,000 in fuel taxes.
“The commissioners are being poisoned by one source and failed to listen to the authority’s position,” Macaluso said.
In his letter, Rawlinson said, “It’s our “impression is that the thinking of some members (of the County Commission) has been inaccurately influenced by a small group of people who, for general and specific reasons, wish to portray the airport, the Airport Authority and our director in a negative way. Information has been provided in general or out-of-context terms.”
Rawlison said the authority believes the airport is “extremely competitive. However, to assure this, we believe that it is advisable to conduct an extensive study of our operations compared to that of similar airports.”
“We commit to conduct it in a professional, unbiased manner, and will report back to you upon its completion,” he said. “We will reveal those areas in which our airport compared favorably and those areas in which improvement is possible. While I expect that we will compare favorably in most, I am also confident that we will learn things and find ways to improve.”
County Manager Mike Dobbs said he thinks “it’s a good move to benchmark our airport with other airports of similar size” adding, “The airport is extremely important to Troup County” as a recruiting tool for business and industry.In another matter Friday, Dobbs said the board on Aug. 3 will fill one unexpired term each on the Board of Assessors, Library Board and Planning Commission. Anyone interested in an appointment may pick up an application in the commissioners’ office or call the office at (706) 883-1610.
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