The controversial expansion of Paulding County’s airport to include commercial service has brought about another lawsuit.
Six Paulding residents filed the latest challenge in Superior Court and allege the county’s Industrial Building Authority had no right to loan the airport a million dollars last month for project-related expenses.
“The Industrial Building Authority has the ability to purchase buildings and use buildings for factories, shops, processing plants, that type of thing, but here they are using proceeds to fund airport improvements which are outside their constitutional charge,” said attorney Charles McKnight, speaking on behalf of the residents.
Airport Director Blake Swafford counters the airport has used authority funds for airport projects in the past with no problem. He expects the lawsuit to be dismissed.
“We’ve been utilizing IBA funding on airport projects since 2005 so we’ve been doing this for a number of years,” said Swafford. “Ultimately, long-term, [the lawsuit] really doesn’t change anything for us…it doesn’t affect any of our plans in terms of commercial service or anything else.”
The IBA loan was extended after residents filed a separate lawsuit challenging the county’s $3.4 million bond issuance for the project. In that case, a judge ruled against the residents, who have since appealed. Swafford says he expects the appeals process to be resolved soon.
“We’re probably 60 days away from having the appeal dismissed and being able to go ahead and issue the bonds…and do the project with the bonds which was the original intent,” said Swafford.
Meanwhile, in yet another lawsuit, residents and the Federal Aviation Administration reached a settlement earlier this month that requires a formal environmental assessment before commercial service can begin.
Despite all the legal challenges, Swafford says his target is to have the expansion project completed by next summer.
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