Posted on Sat, Jul. 15, 2006

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Council plans airport panel

By Travis Tritten

The Sun News

After changing oversight requirements for Myrtle Beach International Airport last year, Horry County Council has spent about a year closely scrutinizing operations at the facility.

Council members required that all decisions related to the airport be routed through a council committee or the county's administration division head. Previously, issues related to the airport were sent to an advisory committee and then passed along to council members.

During a meeting this week, the council began laying out the new management plan - to create an airport commission.

The commission would be able to make its own decisions on many airport issues and could have oversight of a $228 million terminal project but would still have to come to County Council before making major decisions.

"It would be up to the council to decide whether to build a wall and the commission would decide what color to paint it," Councilman Marion Foxworth said.

A year ago, the council said it seemed necessary to take over daily decisions in light of a massive, lagging terminal project and concerns over county business deals with companies such as the politically battered AvCraft Support Services.

Avcraft, a company that refurbishes regional jets at the airport, received subsidies from the county last year in spite of a gloomy business outlook, drawing public criticism. The county's plan for a new airport terminal is about a year behind schedule, and the county must pay another $6.2 million to finish the terminal design or lose the project.

"The council put airport operations under a microscope last year due to concern over the airport terminal project, Councilman Harold Worley said.

"I thought we were heading into a crisis with the airport department. I felt very uncomfortable with unelected people making decisions that I saw coming up that were really out of their realm," Worley said. "Obviously, this terminal was a huge undertaking and the council felt like they needed more input into it."

There are three types of government boards in South Carolina - advisory, commission and authority - with varying levels of power.

The commission format could mean more qualified members on the board and more expertise for the terminal project, said Bill McKown, chairman of the airport advisory board.

Advisory panel members are appointed to their positions without a vote from council. Commission members must be appointed then approved by council vote.

One source of friction for the current arrangement has been disagreements between County Council members and advisory board members appointed by past council members, McKown said.

"When the airport became a hot topic, the person they had on there was not their appointment," he said.

The proposed structure change is in line with an airport management study conducted for the county during the spring.

Some council members say getting too involved with the airport has become a headache.

"They [airport personnel] are bringing more to day-to-day operations stuff to us than we ever wanted to see," said Councilman Mark Lazarus, who called for more oversight along with several other councilmen.

For now, the change to a commission is still a proposal and must be approved by County Council. A vote could happen as early as Tuesday.

"I think it is a great idea," McKown said.