Chairman Mike Brady resigns before authority board votes 4-0 to remove him

When Peachtree City Airport Authority Chairman Mike Brady called Tuesday night’s meeting to order, the only item on the agenda was his fellow board members’ plan to remove him as chairman.

Before that could happen, Brady read a 10-minute statement defending his actions, after which he tendered his immediate resignation from the authority.

Near the end of his speech Brady declined to yield the floor to a successful motion to halt his statement.

Brady continued on briefly before tendering his resignation. He began to pack up his things and leave as the board swiftly elected authority member Richard Whitely as the new chairman.

Seconds later the meeting was adjourned.

Brady, appointed to the authority in December, was elected chairman in January by his fellow board members. All five authority members are appointed by the Peachtree City Council.

The authority is an autonomous body that runs the Falcon Field Airport.

The four authority members’ plan to remove Brady as chairman came after a four-hour executive session about personnel matters during last week’s authority meeting, Whitely confirmed after Tuesday night’s meeting.

Though Whitely wouldn’t discuss details of the discussions, there were obviously differences of opinion based solely on Brady’s account.

Brady said in his statement that he thinks he was being removed as chairman due to his attempted change involving “the airport leadership” to “transition to more professional management and a higher level of customer service.”

Brady said one of his major concerns was the doubling of the airport director’s salary between 2004 and 2008 during a time in which airport employees did not receive any raises due to “difficult financial conditions.”

Brady also challenged the actions of an unnamed board member “contrary to the collective view of the board that could have the effect of endangering an important business relation. ... To me the individual’s disregard for the responsibility of his position and public good is concerning.”

Brady noted that this year the airport made significant operational and marketing improvements but he is ashamed of “the negative personal dynamics within the present airport leadership group.”

Brady noted that prior to his appointment on the authority he was a 13-year tenant at the airport.

Under Brady’s leadership with the authority, a dedicated group of volunteers raised nearly $360,000 in money, goods and services to build the Falcon Field Veterans’ Memorial which was dedicated several weeks ago. The airport was center stage this past weekend for the annual Great Georgia Airshow, the largest such event in Georgia, which brought specialized military, recreational and period-restored aircraft in one place with static and aerobatic displays.

Also with Brady at the helm the authority has undertaken efforts to work closer with airport tenants, whose business is vital to the success of Falcon Field. The authority’s revenues come largely from lease payments from hangar space rentals and also from fuel sales.