2017-10-18 Legislative Delegation Meeting
New Hanover County Airport Authority
October 18, 2017
Page 1
NEW HANOVER COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION
SPECIAL MEETING
October 18, 2017
CALL TO ORDER
The New Hanover County Airport Authority met with the General Assembly Legislative
Delegation for a special meeting on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, at Wilmington International
Airport, 1740 Airport Boulevard, Wilmington, North Carolina. Vice-Chairman Hickman called
the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Airport Authority members present were: Dan Hickman, Vice-Chairman; Donna Girardot,
Secretary; Tom Barber, Harry W. Stovall, W. Lee Williams, and Thomas Wolfe. Also present
were Julie Wilsey, Airport Director; Gary Broughton, Deputy Director; Robert Campbell,
Finance Director; Whitney Prease, Facilities Director; Carol LeTellier, Business Development
Director; Rose Davis, Executive Assistant; and Wanda Copley, New Hanover County Attorney.
General Assembly members present were: Senator Bill Rabon; Senator Michael Lee;
Representative Frank Iler; Representative Ted Davis; Representative Holly Grange;
Representative Deb Butler; and Representative Bob Muller.
Guests present included Tim Buckland, reporter for Star-News.
WELCOME
Vice Chairman Hickman welcomed the legislators on behalf of the Airport Authority and ILM
staff and thanked them for their efforts on behalf of the North Carolina airports. Mr. Hickman
shared that ILM had 817,000 voters/taxpayers come through ILM in the last year and the
Authority and ILM staff appreciate what the legislators have done to make that possible. Mr.
Hickman noted that ILM currently has 106 airplanes on the field full time and our economic
impact is in the range of $1.6B.
Mrs. Girardot, Secretary and Government Committee Chair, thanked the legislators for the bill
that was put through for the 72 airports in North Carolina, from which ILM will receive $5.9M
for two years, and noted that this money will go a long way towards Phase I of the Terminal
Expansion.
LEGISLATOR COMMENTS
Each of the legislators made comments about the last session; issues that might effect ILM; and
their interest and involvement in transportation and the airport funding. Discussions followed,
including one on ways to streamline the NCDOT Aviation grant process to facilitate the use of
the new funds. It was suggested that staff work with NCDOT Aviation and Secretary Trogdon to
find efficiencies in the process. Also, an effort will be made to gather recommendations from
several airports on how to streamline grant paperwork for commercial service airports. The
suggestions will be sent to the local General Assembly members before the next legislative
session and may be presented to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee. (as revised
November 1, 2017)
New Hanover County Airport Authority
October 18, 2017
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Mrs. Wilsey offered to send the legislators the NC Aviation Task Force report from April 2016,
Airports Working Group addressed some of the concerns and would be a good place to start.
Vice-Chairman Hickman pointed out that southeastern North Carolina is North C
multimodal center and we have it all here in Wilmington from I-40 and Hwy. 74-76, to Rail and
Port and finally ILM. Vice-Chairman Hickman thanked the legislators again for coming and
closed the meeting at 9:50 am.
Prepared by: Respectfully Submitted:
Rose M. Davis
_______________________________
Donna Girardot, Secretary
Date of Approval: November 1, 2017