Friday, March 12, 2004
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Friday, March 12, 2004 |
| Airport official defends use of Air Show office By JOHN MUNFORD A member of the Peachtree City Airport Authority formally responded to questions Wednesday night that were raised by another authority member last month in an unusual spectacle while the authority nominated persons to serve as chairman. After authority member Jerry Cobb was nominated to serve as chairman last month, fellow member Matt Davis questioned whether Cobb felt it was right for him to use free office space at the Falcon Field terminal. Cobb at the time countered that the office was for the Commemorative Air Force’s annual Great Georgia Air Show, which he has been director of for the past two years. Eventually Cathy Nelmes was reappointed chairwoman of the authority, but not before Davis’ comments caused some hard feelings. The insinuated criticism by Davis led to Cobb reading a prepared statement at Wednesday night’s authority meeting to further clarify his response “for the record.” The authority has contributed an office and meeting space for the air show in the past while it is not financially at risk in producing the air show, Cobb said. He added that the air show has brought more than 100,000 visitors to the airport in the past six years and the authority has a voting member on the air show Board of Directors. The air show also pays for its own fuel and services provided by the authority, Cobb said. The show is actually run by the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force and proceeds benefit local charities. Cobb noted that he is one of 400 volunteers who participates with the air show. “I do not want anyone to have the impression that I have misused public property in any way or that I have used on duty airport personnel to run errands for me,” Cobb said. “My goal is and has been to provide public service in an unselfish manner.”
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