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During a city council workshop in Richmond Hill, Georgia, local officials deliberated on the future of the airport authority, following a delayed decision on its approval.
The Richmond Hill City Council had initially planned to vote on April 7 regarding the endorsement or rejection of the Bryan County Airport Authority. However, the decision was postponed.
The airport authority, consisting of 11 members, is tasked with developing a strategic vision for a prospective noncommercial airport. The vote was deferred after Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Hatala revealed she had come across new information about the authority that other council members were not aware of.
In the meeting on Tuesday night, Hatala presented her findings to the council, urging them to reject the authority’s proposal.
“I am requesting the council to pass the resolution to halt any economic support or potential funding for this project from this point onward,” Hatala stated. “We have determined it is not economically viable.”
Hatala said she learned this information after a conversation with Georgia State Rep. Ron Stephens (R-164).
The airport authority is a state-created entity; therefore, the state has the power to dissolve the authority and make decisions, Hatala said.
“The state has the authority to do anything and any time we’re trying to get ahead of it by saying at this economic feasibility standpoint, we don’t feel it’s necessary to support it,” Councilmember Kevin Bowes said.
Hatala and Bowes openly agreed and said that the city is not in a position to financially support the airport.
“We’re not going to sit there and wait for you guys to tell us to give us money,” Bowes said. “We want to say at this time, we don’t want to support it.”
Councilmember Steven Scholar asked whether, if economic support were pulled, the city could rejoin the conversation. Bowes said currently they can’t support it financially and he is unsure if things will change.
“I don’t believe it’s economically feasible right now,” Hatala said. “In the future, I don’t know.”
The airport authority is slated to be voted on during the May 5 City Council meeting.