Airport Authority Questioned

Airport Authority accosted by business owner in meeting

By Daniel L. Bamberg

Daniel@Centrevillepress.com

Local business owner Pam Freeman appeared before the Bibb County Airport Authority to address concerns regarding some recent activity. 

Freeman raised questions about a recent bid item. Tim Dehart came to open bid meeting representing Boneyard Acquisitions.  The local female owned company drastically under bid its two competitors and was the only to stay under the maximum budget.  Authority Chairman, Walt Williams made a motion to accept Boneyard’s bid.  There was no second and the vote died.  Dehart withdrew his bid.  

The bid has yet to be awarded to anyone.

Mrs. Freeman stated that she believed the Airport denied the bid to Boneyard for one of two potential reasons.  In her statements she suggested that the Authority may have denied a second due to the fact that Boneyard is a female owned business.  The company is owned and operated by Tanette Aeyers.  The other possibility given by Freeman is that the Authority failed to second the bid because Tim Dehart is a convicted felon, and the man who made national headlines after being caught living in Bibb County for nearly 5 years under the false name of Chris Sullivan, in an attempt to flee from legal consequences he had accumulated in Arkansas.  Dehart returned to the Bibb County community recently.

“He has served his time and it is time to forgive and move on,” said Freeman.  “He can vote and own a gun just like everyone of us.  Either way the Authority seems to be offering discrimination to bidders.”

Mr. Williams and the rest of the Authority deny that there is any discrimination.

Mrs. Freeman then stated that John Herron was never an official member based upon the group’s by laws.  She quoted the by laws.  The Authority then publicly acknowledged that based on their by-laws Herron was not an official member.  Despite this claim Herron continued to vote and speak freely throughout the meeting.  At the end of the meeting the Authority attempted to vote him in officially.  Freeman pointed out that in order to vote Herron in, four members had to be present, and excluding Herron only 3 were in attendance.  Herron was not “officially” voted in?  His status is uncertain.