The New Hanover County Airport Authority meets in the boardroom at Wilmington International Airport. The meeting came just days after an aborted effort to discuss removing one of its members.
Photo by Jonathan Spiers.
The New Hanover County Airport Authority is apparently moving on from a miff last week that saw a meeting called, then cancelled, to discuss the removal of one of its members.
Judging by Wednesday’s regular meeting, which was finished in less than an hour and conducted rather amicably, one never would have known it was one week removed from a false-start attempt to entertain the removal of Al Roseman, one of the authority’s senior members.
An empty chair was all that separated Roseman from Chairman Tom Barber, who called last week’s meeting and cancelled it two days later. Barber said at the time he wanted to address issues with Roseman, who had voted against a majority of the board on several items of business in recent months.
Barber said he reconsidered and called off that meeting in an attempt to work together instead of against each other. Barber said: “I just decided the right thing to do for our charge, our community and the airport is to not have that meeting and to redouble our efforts to work together.”
That appeared the case Wednesday, as board members quickly—but not hastily—progressed through the meeting, hearing reports from staff and monthly updates, as well as a proposal by Roseman to set aside space for a memorial to a former “Mrs. ILM.” Roseman said the memorial is projected to cost $1,500 and that funds would be raised with no cost to the authority.
The board had been at odds in recent months over issues relating to general aviation services, specifically a change in fixed base operators allowed to do business on the airfield. The board voted in April to enter into negotiations with a new service provider, but Roseman and fellow member Carter Lambeth opposed the motion.
That provider, Brixtel Group, began operations of its AviatMall service at Wilmington International Airport over the weekend. Brixtel was awarded a five-year lease to provide fixed-base operator services at the airport. Other services will include aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul, flight training and charter services.
In a release announcing the opening, AviatMall CEO Andy Mansoor was quoted as saying: “We have been looking forward to being a part of the Wilmington International Airport and New Hanover County community.
“ILM is a key market for our customers, and a great addition for our pilot store. We appreciate the trust that the Wilmington International Airport authority has put in us, and are committed to providing exceptional service and uncompromising safety and security for our customers at ILM.”
Mansoor added the company would “immediately begin capital improvement projects to upgrade the facility and will be looking to hire additional employees from the local community as part of our efforts to continue to provide exceptional service. AviatMall is committed to and excited about being a strong partner to the airport and local community.”
Source: http://portcitydaily.com
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