Only one of two potential appointees to the Airport Authority showed up.

No mic for County Manager Joe Pritchard at yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session, but by turning the sound way up I think he said the term of Wayne Edwards on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority expired this month, and there were two applicants: Jeff Sykes president and CEO of First American Prescription Drugs and Kevin McCraney of Georgia Power. Jeff Sykes was present and spoke. McCraney didn’t. Maybe the Commissioners assumed everybody knows McCraney. I do; but do you? Sykes said:

I am an aviation enthusiast, I am a pilot, I think that the airport is an economic driver for our area, and I want to do everything I can not only to keep it open but to expand it in any way possible.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked about a conflict “with the Chairman Joe Prater at the time”. According to Jennifer Tanner in the VDT 14 September 2006, Joe Prater was Airport Authority Chairman back then. Applicant said the conflict was that Prater’s appointment was outside the city limits, so he, Sykes, gave up his seat so Prater could continue to serve. County Manager said Sykes had been appointed by the city, but he moved outside the city limits. Sykes said he resigned his seat before he moved out into the county.

Here’s the video:

Appointees: Airport Authority
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 13 May 2013.

-jsq

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