What do we do with the airport?

[LisaC]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

 

[deewee]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

 

[Winchester]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

This whole mess is a prime example of why big deals are done behind closed doors. Look at what happened when it went public.


And yes, there is a small but very vocal group of people that want to stop all development in Paulding. They have been around a very long time. They will not stop at just the airport. Any large development will be met with public fights from these people! Whitey is the number one person as he feels it's his personal mission to fight everything this County does. What's funny to me is that some of these people moved here during the housing boom of the 2000's and then right away wanted to stop new developments from happening!

Get ready for the County to spend $$millions$$ in legal fees and court costs when they could be creating jobs and improving the local economy.

 

[naturegirl]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

The opposition is not small as some want us to believe. Most of those opposing the airport can't make the meetings at 9:00am on Wednesday morning, they have to feed their families. Many of the ones I've met are transplants from other areas and have grown to love the peaceful area, especially those on the West Side of the county.

They destroyed the East and South end of Paulding with subdivision after subdivision. Many people got rich, selling land, developing land, building houses and selling houses. Look what they left us. Now these same people want to destroy the West Side of the county with another cockamamie idea that they haven't even done the proper planning on.

When will people realize these folks don't know what they are doing? They are chasing ideas and grandiose schemes, spending money like there's no tomorrow, throwing it against the wall hoping something will stick. They are lost, they don't know how to do thi,s but they sure know how to have secret retreats on the taxpayer dime.

A two day unannounced retreat during the week in Douglasville for which there were no minutes. Magically, after court testimony, those minutes appeared in December, 6 months after the event.

And they want us to believe they are doing this for the betterment county?

 

[LisaC]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

The opposition is not small as some want us to believe. Most of those opposing the airport can't make the meetings at 9:00am on Wednesday morning, they have to feed their families. Many of the ones I've met are transplants from other areas and have grown to love the peaceful area, especially those on the West Side of the county.

They destroyed the East and South end of Paulding with subdivision after subdivision. Many people got rich, selling land, developing land, building houses and selling houses. Look what they left us. Now these same people want to destroy the West Side of the county with another cockamamie idea that they haven't even done the proper planning on.

When will people realize these folks don't know what they are doing? They are chasing ideas and grandiose schemes, spending money like there's no tomorrow, throwing it against the wall hoping something will stick. They are lost, they don't know how to do thi,s but they sure know how to have secret retreats on the taxpayer dime.

A two day unannounced retreat during the week in Douglasville for which there were no minutes. Magically, after court testimony, those minutes appeared in December, 6 months after the event.

And they want us to believe they are doing this for the betterment county?

I'm not sure how large or small the opposition is and I'm not sure that it matters. I also don't think they "destroyed" the East and South sides of Paulding. If they had not developed those areas, we would not have moved out here and may not have the amazing neighbors and friends that we have. :dunno

 

[ShoeDiva]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

The opposition is not small as some want us to believe. Most of those opposing the airport can't make the meetings at 9:00am on Wednesday morning, they have to feed their families. Many of the ones I've met are transplants from other areas and have grown to love the peaceful area, especially those on the West Side of the county.

They destroyed the East and South end of Paulding with subdivision after subdivision. Many people got rich, selling land, developing land, building houses and selling houses. Look what they left us. Now these same people want to destroy the West Side of the county with another cockamamie idea that they haven't even done the proper planning on.

When will people realize these folks don't know what they are doing? They are chasing ideas and grandiose schemes, spending money like there's no tomorrow, throwing it against the wall hoping something will stick. They are lost, they don't know how to do thi,s but they sure know how to have secret retreats on the taxpayer dime.

A two day unannounced retreat during the week in Douglasville for which there were no minutes. Magically, after court testimony, those minutes appeared in December, 6 months after the event.

And they want us to believe they are doing this for the betterment county?

I'm not sure how large or small the opposition is and I'm not sure that it matters. I also don't think they "destroyed" the East and South sides of Paulding. If they had not developed those areas, we would not have moved out here and may not have the amazing neighbors and friends that we have. :dunno

:images:

 

[honeybunny]

I'm not sure how large or small the opposition is and I'm not sure that it matters. I also don't think they "destroyed" the East and South sides of Paulding. If they had not developed those areas, we would not have moved out here and may not have the amazing neighbors and friends that we have. :dunno

Oh it matters... just ask David Austin about the reception he received
at that toll road (pipe dream fiasco $ $ $) meeting in November 2011.

 

[lotstodo]

FTR, I'm not against the airport growing but I don't like the back door deals and the short end of the stick agreements our county is getting into. That airport is for the county (us taxpayers) to profit from. Use it wisely and not a political tool. Bring in manufacturing and other high dollar jobs. Market that airport for easy access of private jets and small props. Heck, I'm not against a larger plane here and there but don't sell us out. The taxpayers pockets should get lined before a politician.

Yup.

Sent from a small screen using fat thumbs.

 

[naturegirl]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

The opposition is not small as some want us to believe. Most of those opposing the airport can't make the meetings at 9:00am on Wednesday morning, they have to feed their families. Many of the ones I've met are transplants from other areas and have grown to love the peaceful area, especially those on the West Side of the county.

They destroyed the East and South end of Paulding with subdivision after subdivision. Many people got rich, selling land, developing land, building houses and selling houses. Look what they left us. Now these same people want to destroy the West Side of the county with another cockamamie idea that they haven't even done the proper planning on.

When will people realize these folks don't know what they are doing? They are chasing ideas and grandiose schemes, spending money like there's no tomorrow, throwing it against the wall hoping something will stick. They are lost, they don't know how to do thi,s but they sure know how to have secret retreats on the taxpayer dime.

A two day unannounced retreat during the week in Douglasville for which there were no minutes. Magically, after court testimony, those minutes appeared in December, 6 months after the event.

And they want us to believe they are doing this for the betterment county?

I'm not sure how large or small the opposition is and I'm not sure that it matters. I also don't think they "destroyed" the East and South sides of Paulding. If they had not developed those areas, we would not have moved out here and may not have the amazing neighbors and friends that we have. :dunno

There was no planning in all that growth, they just built houses where they could, as fast as they could. Industry should have been sought along with all that residential building, no one even worried about it, they were all making big bucks from the land owners to the real estate agents and everyone in between.

Now it's a problem and they have to grow the West side with more unplanned, unprepared development? I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how this will bring 3000-4000 jobs. I have no evidence of anything close to hard facts. Pipe dreams, grandiose schemes........no experience.

This from that 2013 MIT study Calvin Thompson references. I sure hope he actually read it, I'm really not sure.

U.S. Airline Departures (2007-2012)

Between 2007 through 2012, U.S. carriers cut domestic flights by 14 percent, but smaller airports saw even bigger cuts.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182262805/smaller-airports-take-bigger-hit-as-airlines-cut-flights

 

[naturegirl]

One more little item that throws up red flags, Propeller Investments/Silver Comet Terminal Partners, LLC is an investment firm with no experience running an airport. Their principals/consultants have experience in the airline industry but NONE of them have ever operated an airport.

When they walk away from this money losing project, who's responsible for the debt and upkeep?

 

[ShoeDiva]

One more little item that throws up red flags, Propeller Investments/Silver Comet Terminal Partners, LLC is an investment firm with no experience running an airport. Their principals/consultants have experience in the airline industry but NONE of them have ever operated an airport.

When they walk away from this money losing project, who's responsible for the debt and upkeep?

Would an investment firm with airline experience not bring in someone with experience to run the airport? I am just thinking if I have experience in one area but not another I would bring in someone with that expertise to make sure I am successful. Just a thought.

 

[stradial]

One more little item that throws up red flags, Propeller Investments/Silver Comet Terminal Partners, LLC is an investment firm with no experience running an airport. Their principals/consultants have experience in the airline industry but NONE of them have ever operated an airport.

When they walk away from this money losing project, who's responsible for the debt and upkeep?

Would an investment firm with airline experience not bring in someone with experience to run the airport? I am just thinking if I have experience in one area but not another I would bring in someone with that expertise to make sure I am successful. Just a thought.

I would hope they would, but wouldn't that be something that the county would want to have an answer to, even the names of the top 3 candidates, before making the deal?

 

[Winchester]

Lawsuit, or not, I do not like the way this was all done behind closed doors and the very constituents that put those men into office were deceived by those officials. If all this causes business/industry leaders to not move to Paulding then the blame rests with those elected officials...not the citizens that oppose them. If this had been handled on the up and up, I'm sure some kind of agreement could have been reached about what the citizens would accept. I know this is a passionate disagreement, but all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled correctly from the start. They could have held an open meeting, with community input/involvement, to specifically address the airport and the burden it has placed on the county.

I agree that the county has not been open about this, but I also believe that even if they had been, there still would have been lawsuits and opposition.

There will always be opposition when dealing with a great number of people. I'm not convinced there would have necessarily been lawsuits though, if it had been handled transparently...open, honest and with the citizens in mind, instead of a handful of people.

The opposition is not small as some want us to believe. Most of those opposing the airport can't make the meetings at 9:00am on Wednesday morning, they have to feed their families. Many of the ones I've met are transplants from other areas and have grown to love the peaceful area, especially those on the West Side of the county.

They destroyed the East and South end of Paulding with subdivision after subdivision. Many people got rich, selling land, developing land, building houses and selling houses. Look what they left us. Now these same people want to destroy the West Side of the county with another cockamamie idea that they haven't even done the proper planning on.

When will people realize these folks don't know what they are doing? They are chasing ideas and grandiose schemes, spending money like there's no tomorrow, throwing it against the wall hoping something will stick. They are lost, they don't know how to do thi,s but they sure know how to have secret retreats on the taxpayer dime.

A two day unannounced retreat during the week in Douglasville for which there were no minutes. Magically, after court testimony, those minutes appeared in December, 6 months after the event.

And they want us to believe they are doing this for the betterment county?

I'm not sure how large or small the opposition is and I'm not sure that it matters. I also don't think they "destroyed" the East and South sides of Paulding. If they had not developed those areas, we would not have moved out here and may not have the amazing neighbors and friends that we have. :dunno

There was no planning in all that growth, they just built houses where they could, as fast as they could. Industry should have been sought along with all that residential building, no one even worried about it, they were all making big bucks from the land owners to the real estate agents and everyone in between.

Now it's a problem and they have to grow the West side with more unplanned, unprepared development? I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how this will bring 3000-4000 jobs. I have no evidence of anything close to hard facts. Pipe dreams, grandiose schemes........no experience.

This from that 2013 MIT study Calvin Thompson references. I sure hope he actually read it, I'm really not sure.

U.S. Airline Departures (2007-2012)

Between 2007 through 2012, U.S. carriers cut domestic flights by 14 percent, but smaller airports saw even bigger cuts.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182262805/smaller-airports-take-bigger-hit-as-airlines-cut-flights

Might want to learn a little about property rights. Even if the County had a full fledged development plan (which they did), if a property owner wants to do something with their land, they have the right to. The Courts have already ruled on that. As long as the County has reasonable zoning rules (and they do), there is little the County can do to stop them without going to Court and spending $$tax$$ each time.

And the reason so many houses were built is because so many people wanted to buy them. When people stopped buying them, they stopped building them. Simple economics.

And this airport will be built....as currently planned....after $$millions$$ of your tax money has been wasted will silly court cases.

I'm done with this nonsense. Have fun wasting badly need tax money!

 

[ShoeDiva]

One more little item that throws up red flags, Propeller Investments/Silver Comet Terminal Partners, LLC is an investment firm with no experience running an airport. Their principals/consultants have experience in the airline industry but NONE of them have ever operated an airport.

When they walk away from this money losing project, who's responsible for the debt and upkeep?

Would an investment firm with airline experience not bring in someone with experience to run the airport? I am just thinking if I have experience in one area but not another I would bring in someone with that expertise to make sure I am successful. Just a thought.

I would hope they would, but wouldn't that be something that the county would want to have an answer to, even the names of the top 3 candidates, before making the deal?

I can not answer that with fact, but do we know that they have not been given a list of candidates? Or possibly the situation here is they have a head hunter looking and they will have a say in the decision? I am just going with that I would want an expert to run the facility and I would assume that most would. It is a good question that has been brought up and I will be adding it to my list of things I need to consider (and ask.) :thumbsup

 

[unionmom]

I wonder if there isn't any part of this commercial push that is based on the sports complex at 75 and the road widening up 113 from 278? Seems to me that there could be some real potential there. I have not seen/hear it mentioned by anyone on either side.

 

[naturegirl]

It's been discussed, it's a little far from the new complex but doable I guess. How are they going to get from the airport to the complex? Just curious. I guess there could be bus rentals.

Because you've watched someone bake a cake, even helped with turning the oven on doesn't make you a baker.

 

[unionmom]

It's been discussed, it's a little far from the new complex but doable I guess. How are they going to get from the airport to the complex? Just curious. I guess there could be bus rentals.

Because you've watched someone bake a cake, even helped with turning the oven on doesn't make you a baker.

It's closer and less complicated than Hartsfield. That's why I was thinking it might be part of the consideration. And Enterprise in Hiram has already been talking about the business they do at the airport. I'm sure they would be happy to set up a rental hub, if it came to that, out there.

Just trying to think of ways to make lemonade.

 

[PCGOPExaminer]

THIS is why I am against the commercialization of the airport.

I have 8 issues with the airport issue:

1. David Austin lying at a BOC meeting I attended ....Austin all by himself changed my view of the entire airport expansion issue.

In the beginning, I was sort of for it. But lie to me, especially from a politician, well for me, that changes everything no matter what party they are affiliated with. Politicians are employees of us citizens, not employers.

2. Ignoring we the citizens as if we citizens are nothing to them.

3. Ignoring the original airport plans from 2006, in which those plans I support.

4. The secrecy of the entire plans....I know how and why they did it. Some of them can act ignorant as if some of us are too stupid to figure it out but I have news for them. I am not stupid. I know how things went in Gwinnett County because I have a family member that lives there.

5. Leaving Todd out of the deal. That violates my rights and everyone in Post 2 of ignoring our proper and legal representation of those living in Post 2.

6. The ignorance of some of the airport board at this past week’s meeting when a request was submitted for a couple to speak and then turn around and say no....one needs 7 days which was non-sense and was not stated when the request was handed in. Change the rules as they go is not how to operate anything.

7. Holding any town hall meeting so citizens can see what this is all about, ask questions, get answers. None of that occurred and still has not and questions are still not being answered. The attitude by some is tough, live with it. That to me is unacceptable and is not how you get citizens to come on to your side.

8. When the airport was a go, it was stated very clearly that the airport would not be used for commercial airline purposes.

People complain about what is happening on the federal level, but then turn their heads the other way when things like this happen on the local level.

So my point is....is that the central number 1 issue that started all of this from the very beginning, was how it was handled and the secrecy of the deal. That is the main crux of it.

If those involved, mainly the ones on the BOC who were involved in this, had handled this in the "proper" form, about 90% of this opposition issue "might" not be happening as we see happening now.

Thumbing their noses at us is making the whole issue much, much worse than it needs to be. There are always solutions to everything and I am firm believer in that....but ignoring the opposition is not how things are to be handled.

There is so much more as things are very fluid but that is the basics of this issue. Some will agree, others will not. As far as Todd, he and his family are going through hell on this as he is the lone person standing.

It how I feel, my own research, and my observations of what is going on.

Give me the airport plan from 2006 or so, that is out there, then I might be okay with it....but not this expansion.

 

[stradial]

Well, I like 98% anyway.

 

[atlantdav]

My opinion two much money has been committed and spent on failed ventures whereas promises were made for revenue and JOBS. If you were a private business, how long do you think a financial institution would allow you to float your loans, much less loan you more money where you did not have any income?

I believe most are for growth to create jobs. BUT, have a business plan in place to do that. Heck, let the airport sit as general aviation and transfer the movie studio to PCED. I truly believe Jamie Gilbert could turn the property the studio is on to a tenant which fits the needs for that space, and also get some manufacturing out on the property by the airport. I'd bet if that happened, you would see revenues w/in 24 months or less, and JOBS!