DRAA considers meeting change for slower times

Board members watching fuel prices

Delta Regional Airport Authority Members on Thursday discussed the possibility of meeting every other month when business at the airport is slower.

The board agreed during the meeting to re-evaluate the matter after the first of the year.

Board members Nancy Jarratt and Corbin Brown were absent.

Shannon Hobbs, board chairman, said he does not want anyone to think they would be skipping multiple meetings at one time, but instead simply change to bi-monthly meetings when there is no new business to discuss.

"One issue that I brought up last month, and I wanted to have a little clarification on this too, was on the delayed meetings," said Hobbs. "I wanted to have a conversation on this because I really wanted to clarify my thoughts. Dr. (John) Kerr (former DRAA member) did this a lot back when we slowed down years and years ago.

“My thoughts on this were when we have these meetings, these months when we don't have any new business going on, everybody would still get their financials and a fuel report, and then the next month we would have a meeting,” continued Hobbs. “That would solve issues like how Corbin is on a combine tonight and Mrs. Nancy had to do something. We still don't have a lot to discuss but I still wanted to meet. If we did that, we could say we met this month, we could skip next month, meet in November, and we usually skip the month of December. We would be back in for business in January. I didn't want anyone to think that we were going to go on a binge and start skipping meetings for months at a time. I think every other month, at times, would be easier."

"There is nothing that says that we cannot call a meeting on short notice," said board secretary Mike Easley.

"I don't know that we need to change our bylaws for that," said board member Kendall Owens. "We could just send out an email saying that we have no new business if we have no new business and meet the next month if nobody has an objection.”

"That is kind of what I originally thought at first, and then we thought maybe we

needed to amend the bylaws to say that, and I didn't mind that," said Hobbs.

"I think we should try it before we do it," said Easley.

"We can't just sit here and not have meetings for three months, but if we skipped a month because we didn't have business going on I wouldn't see a problem," said Hobbs. "At the max, if you wanted to amend the bylaws, I would just say that at the max we could only skip one month before having to have a meeting. There are times when there is a lot of money coming in and going out."

"Right now I could say that we could skip the month of December, but I think we need to meet the next two months with everything that is going on," said board vice chairman Chad Runsick.

"I think so, too," said Owens. "With everything that is going on and duck season coming up, which is supposed to be our busiest season, we need to be prepared."

The board also briefly discussed the need to watch current fuel prices over the next month with the possibility of a special meeting to change the price of fuel depending on changes in pricing.

"We are at $6.95 right now and we are the second highest in 100 miles," said Runsick. "We can buy gas right now for $4 something or $5?"

"Do we want to try to go another month and try to whittle a little more out of this tank and then buy more fuel right before duck season?” asked Hobbs.

"But are we going to whittle any out?” asked Owens. "Or, are we going to be sitting here with the same amount in the tank in a month? If we are in the middle of the road, I am for staying for another month."

"I am willing to do what the board wants to do," said Hobbs. "If you all want to stay at $6.95 and we see a trend going on over the next month, we can meet back for a quick meeting to make a change if necessary."