Budget committee to request funding support for airport

DRAA Board agrees to hire manager

Members of the Delta Regional Airport Authority on Thursday created a budget committee.

The committee, comprised of Forrest City representative Kendall Owens, St. Francis County representative Mike Easley, Cross County representative Chad Runsick and Wynne representative and board chairman Shannon Hobbs, are charged with creating a budget to present the budget committees for each of these public entities with hopes of receiving funding for the airport.

During the regularly scheduled meeting, members also discussed the airport manager’s position.

Easley asked the board about the need for additional funds for the airport to continue its forward progress.

"We have been talking about approaching the municipalities and counties for a long time, knowing that we are going to have to have someone help us out here," said Easley. "I don't think we can make it on our own here. I have always believed that. When do we plan on making these approaches?"

"My goal was to get this all to you guys tonight, get your input on these final deals, and I was going to start heading to them within the next 30 days," said Hobbs.

"The next 30 days?” asked Easley. "My next question is this, when we approach the mayors and county judges, are we going to present a united front?"

"No," said board member Shirley Harvell.

"So we are going to be divided in asking for money because of a promise made 20 years ago?" asked Easley.

"Yes," said Harvell. "Okay, just so we know where we are," said Easley. "Is there anyone else who is going to back Shirley and prevent us or attempt to prevent us from getting this money?"

Board member Kendall Owens said all entities need to be included in the requests for funding, as all four entities are represented on the board.

"I don't necessarily know that Mrs. Harvell is trying to prevent us from getting this money," said Owens. "I think it is back to what you said, a promise was made 20 years ago. While I may agree with you that you would not ask that of any other division of the county or city governments, I could not hold the expectation that if the city had an issue with a fire department that needs revenue, they wouldn't say go have a cookout to make that revenue. I just feel like the one issue that I have had city council members and others discuss with me is not necessarily the issue of them doing what they can to provide additional funding, it is making sure that it is not just one city or the other, it is making sure that all four entities are putting a similar amount into the pot."

"When the promise was made, it was made based on Forrest City and Wynne because they had the airports," Owens continued. "At this point, I would not agree with going to just the two cities, but the cities and Cross and St. Francis counties."

"Do we have a figure in mind?" asked board treasurer Corbin Brown.

"That is what we are currently working on," said Easley. "However, I do not relish the idea of going before the cities and the counties with one of our members trying to undercut us. I do not understand that."

"We just said that I am not trying to undercut you. I am trying to remind you of the promise that was made," said Harvell.

"You have done that for two years and it is true," said Easley. "You expect to hold us to a promise made 20 years ago about financing today."

"At the time the promise was made, as Kendall said, the two cities were the ones with the airports," said Harvell. "Therefore the two cities had everything falling on their shoulders and therefore the chairmanship and co-chair were to go to the two cities."

Owens said the conversation regarding the chair and co-chair positions should not mixed into the conversation about a request for funding.

"I think you are mixing issues right there, Mrs. Harvell," said Owens. "If we are talking about going to them and asking about money, we need to stay on that conversation. The conversation about the executive committee makeup is a separate conversation for me."

"We don't have an executive committee," said Harvell.

"When you are talking about the chair, co-chair, secretary and treasurer, at least for me, it is common knowledge that those are the members of your executive committee," said Owens. "They are not going to come to me and ask me to sign the checks. They are the elected board members. While I did agree with your assertion at last month’s meeting, and I do still agree with it, it is a different conversation."

According to Harvell, the Forrest City City Council adopted its ordinance based on what Dr. John Kerr told them when the airport was originally being discussed.

"The 20 years ago that he is talking about is when Dr. John Kerr told the city of Forrest City that once this airport was up and operational, this airport would not have to look to the cities for any compensation," said Harvell.

"That was Dr. Kerr," said Owens. "That was not the members of the board."

"He was speaking on behalf of the board at that time," said Harvell.

"That time has passed," said Owens.

"No," said Harvell.

"That time has passed," said Owens. "We have plaques for members who have passed on, we have members who have stepped down. That time has passed. This is the board now, and I think we have to work from this board now. I am not asking you to go along or be unanimous with anything. That is never going to be my assertion. I think everyone has a right to differ and to have constructive criticism, but on the point of what Dr. Kerr said in 2001 or 2003, Dr. Kerr is no longer on this board."

"That is correct," said Harvell. "At that time, when he said that and because he said that our city council did what they did. Therefore, that is why it is still a big part of the movement of this board."

Hobbs said the airport simply cannot continue to grow without additional funding from each of the four entities it serves.

"In light of the conversation, I think everybody on this board has to be charged with seeing us grow," said Hobbs. "We simply cannot grow without additional funds. We are just about at the spot where everything stops. We are going to have the fuel system out here but no tow cart to pull the jets into place for fueling because we simply cannot buy it. I have never heard of an airport that does not have some sort of local funding or tax-based system. Dr. Kerr said that statement and I will never deny it. Dr. Kerr is not here, and I can't help what he said but the facts are that if the airport is going to continue to grow and support both communities, we need to have funds. We cannot grow without funds. We can't build a fire protection system out here until we have funds to put into our match funds. Until this fire system is completed, we have a huge potential liability on our hands. It is not just the fire suppression system, but there are other things too. We have to have match funds to be able to get FAA grants. I don't mind approaching the counties even though they were not a part of this when it started."

Owens said he is in full support of requesting funds from each of the entities, so long as they are asked for equal amounts.

"When Mayor Cedric Williams approached me and I started doing research, from the newspaper articles that I read, the issue has been per what is in the ordinances and resolutions. I can't see how you can argue on one hand what is in the ordinance and this is what Dr. Kerr said when we have the ordinance signed by the thensitting mayor and then-sitting city clerk," said Owens. "This is Mr. Hobbs trying to make an effort to provide them with a projected budget as they are in the budget process. As long as he is providing this information to all four entities, I am in full support of seeking funding from the cities and the counties once we have a set figure and that it be equal for all four entities. For me, this has nothing to do with where we were 20 years ago, this is about where we are now."

"My point is still valid because the cities, as you said, were the ones who gave their FAA funds to the airport," said Harvell. "You are saying that the chairmanship does not matter."

"No, I am not saying that the chairmanship does not matter," said Owens. "I am saying that we cannot be held to Dr. Kerr’s standard in 2003. You cannot hold the DRAA in 2021 to the same standard he had in 2003. Things change."

"To move this conversation forward, I know we don't normally meet in December and I know it is coming up on budget time for these four entities, I think we need to meet in the next couple of weeks to determine what our request will be so that we can get on the agenda sooner than later," Owens continued.

"If we can get a budget committee together, I can tweak these numbers and we can work on this to go before these boards to make our requests," said Hobbs.

Board member Nancy Jarratt nominated the committee members as they each were the appointed representatives of the individual entities.

The board voted seven to one in favor of creating the committee, with Harvell voting against the motion.

During the meeting, Hobbs also explained to the board that Danny McCollum had been offered the job as the airport manager, but that he requested the pay be raised to $15 per hour rather than the $13.50 that was originally offered to him. The board agreed to raise the pay to $15 per hour to meet McCollum's request.