Augusta commissioners work to clear air with Aviation Commission

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Some big decisions at Augusta Regional Airport have left commissioners in the dark.

“It was a courtesy up until the last few years just to kind of hey this is what’s going on at the airport it hasn’t happened, it didn’t have to happen since 2007,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

This year, Airport Director Herbert Judon got an $11,000 raise, but it was only approved by the airport board.

In the last four years, his salary going from $193,000 to $230,000, without commissioners giving the okay.

“There was some confusion about how that was to be handled,” said Dan Troutman, a chairman of the Augusta Aviation Commission. “I think as they found out we did handle it in accordance with what our by-laws are but it was not the understanding of what happened in the past.”

And some commissioners believe when it comes to giving the airport director a raise, they need to go back to the future and change city code.

“In the future, I think we should approve the executive director of the airport salary. Yes, I think that is something we need to,” said Commissioner Francine Scott.

But commissioners are also debating whether to give the airport greater self-control, by changing it from a city department to an authority but that may not fly.

“Absolutely not,” said Commissioner Scott.

“We need to run our government as efficiently as possible the airport makes money, they run it efficiently they’re growing let’s help them out let’s have this discussion,” said Commissioner Frantom.

The discussion has started but when it comes to the airport, things are still up in the air.

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