During the July 8 meeting of the Perry County Airport and Industrial Authority, held by Chairman Donald Bennett, Sr., Bennett opened the floor for comments from the public following a pitch to the public on plans for industrial development at Vaiden Air Field (A08).
“I’ve never lived in a dump, and I’m not going to live in one now,” said Bennett when presenting his various ideas for bringing this development to the air field, citing Caiden’s proximity to US Highway 80 and surrounding counties’ own industrial footprint.
Bennett, prior to opening the floor addressed the need for collaboration, saying, “If you can sit in one room instead of making faces at each other. We get into a room and have some discussion. If it’s behind closed doors, you can call each other whatever you feel like, but you need to be at that table talking. But when you walk out, you should be on one accord.” Bennett continued, “We should start talking about what we can do to develop together—not ignoring people, but working with people.” He then went back to the thesis of his presentation, which was to clarify the financial situation of the PCAIA as it stands currently.
After opening the floor for comment, Portia Shepherd of Uniontown, asked for an update on where the PCAIA was in general with their situation. Bennett then announced, “I got a call from the other day from the FAA, that said ‘Give me an update on where you are with the Corrective Action Plan,’ and I believe they’re ready to start making some moves so we can start getting that cleared up.” However, Bennett clarified that he could not guarantee anything. Bennett then started to explain the partnership between Marion Military Institute and PCAIA over the use of Vaiden.
During this explanation, Perry County Commission Chairman, Albert Turner, Jr., asked “What happened to the grant money for the fuel farm?” Bennett said that had been discussed earlier in the presentation, with Turner explaining he was late.
Bennett explained, “That part of that grant, as I said before, that’s that grant that came after the loan that was supposed to been done for the fuel farm and to the hangars. And that money, once it started coming through the pipeline—it sealed off, it just stopped because there was an encumbrance that was on the air field and they said you’re not in compliance. Once money was taken out of our account, and that money was sitting there, so it has been processed through—that money has been paid to S.A. Graham and Wiregrass.”
Turner then asked, “How much you owe Marion Bank now?”
“Uh, I’m not—I’m not going to talk about what I owe Marion Bank right now. Simply because we’re still in negotiations,” Bennett responded. Turner then argued that such information was for the public, which led to some crosstalk between Turner and Bennett over the financial information. Bennett then said, “I know you have negotiations with people and I know you don’t tell every nickel that you talk to about projects.”
Bill Williams then interjected with clarification on the fuel system, which was purchased with the 2010 loan taken out by PCAIA with Marion Bank & Trust, in the amount of $1.2 million. Williams said, referring to Vaiden’s current fuel system, “It sat there for 10 years and operated for 10 years and the part that collects the money—the credit card system—the financial part became antiquated.” Williams continued, “The company that owned it and maintained it said, ‘We will not maintain it anymore.’ So that’s when Marion Military Institute reached out.” Williams went on to explain that with MMI renting from the air field, the institution offered to put up $21,000 for a new transactions system on the fuel farm. Williams went on to explain, “We prorated their rent until 2030 or something like that, for them to pay to upgrade our system.”
Bennett then elaborated that with MMI’s flight program and their desire to expand that program, in partnership with Vaiden Field, led to that prorated rental agreement with PCAIA. Bennett went on to explain a contract with AeroPro, to manage the air field, saying, “They may not be everything to everyone, but right now they’re the best thing we have managing this air field.” Bennett explained mold issues in the pilot’s lounge, that AeroPro addressed using PCAIA’s account, with mold reappearing due to water draining towards the pilot lounge. When the mold reappeared, according to Bennett, AeroPro fronted some of the money to address it. AeroPro also manages Craig Field in Selma.
Bennett continued to discuss the state of the air field by referencing Gov. Kay Ivey’s visit to Marion Military Institute to commemorate the opening of their new dining facilities, saying, “It was an embarrassment when Gov. Ivey flew out here.” Bennett continued that the state of the air field showed mud on the taxi way, among other issues, that Bennett posited the board was now addressing. He then transitioned into promoting Vaiden with a Fly-In, as has been hosted by the air field in the past. With the fly-in Bennett argued that pilots could explore Vaiden and its facilities to bring the air field back into business. Bennett also proposed a Vaiden Field webpage with updated information on the air field, alongside fuel prices and project updates.
Bennett then referred to a 27-point condensed version of his PowerPoint presentation that he would make available on the Facebook group What’s Happening in Marion, saying, “I’ll post this up so you can read it. You can get a better understanding of where we are and you can understand that there is nothing and never has been—I know as long as I’ve been on it—nefarious that’s been going on.” Bennett continued, “What we have to do is just work through some of the issues that we have. When you talk about money, it becomes sticky.”
Bennett referred to financial statements that would be viewable to the public and asked Bill Williams if he had a recent financial statement sent out that afternoon, to which Williams replied that he had not checked his email since that morning. Williams went on to broach Bennett on a topic to discuss in private on discrepancies in the financial statements provided by the fuel sale system. Portia Shepherd then asked what kind of fuel system the air field was currently using, to which Bennett clarified it was the QT4000. Shepherd also inquired about the lights needed to bring the air field to compliance.
