Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Commissioner Dr. Paul Conn announced his resignation from the Board of Commissioners on Monday.
Dr. Conn filled the newly-created role of president and chancellor of Lee University in Cleveland in May. He had served as president of Lee for 34 years.
In his letter of resignation, read aloud at the meeting by Chairman Jim Hall, Dr. Conn implored Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly to fill the vacancy with a delegate from Bradley County or Cleveland, a representation that has been sustained for 25 years, he wrote.
Dr. Conn cautioned against “narrow parochial views,” writing that as Atlanta and Marietta influence each other and Nashville and Brentwood influence each other, the Bradley County region is a “key part” of the airport’s public, beyond Chattanooga city limits.
“Surely Mayor Kelly’s vision for Chattanooga is broader than that,” he wrote.
Dr. Conn has served as a pro-bono member of the board since 2015.
“We wish him well and thank him for his service,” Mr. Hall said.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a $34 million budget for fiscal year 2025.
Operating expenses are $24.2 million this year, up five percent from 2024’s.
Vice President of Finance and Administration Tena Keith said the increase in expenses is directly related to an increase in passenger traffic. April and May enplanements hovered around 20 percent higher than enplanements in those months last year. The airport has added six new screening positions, she said, and an administrative assistant for the board. Salaries and benefits make up 24 percent of total operating expenses.
The budget designates $8.2 million toward capital investments, almost all for the expanded terminal which opened in March. Another $18.6 million in federal funding and $16.8 million in state funding cover the $43.6-million total.
$1.6 million will pay debt service for the airport’s parking garage, which opened in 2021.
Fixed-base operator revenues, overwhelmingly made up of fuel sales, total $16 million, or 47 percent of the airport’s revenue. Another 23 percent comes from the airport’s parking lots. FBO costs make up 55 percent of total operating expenses.
Airport President and CEO April Cameron reported that May enplanements had surpassed 50,000 for only the third time in the airport’s history. The other two were October 2018 and October 2019. May 2024’s total was 50,665.
“It is a significant accomplishment to hit 50,000 enplanements,” Ms. Cameron said. Near-full load factors of 92 percent look good to airlines, too.
“That is what is going to tell the story for us,” she said.
The airport celebrated its inaugural direct flight to Las Vegas on Allegiant Air May 16, with full planes going both ways.
“We think it’s going to be a great route for Allegiant,” Ms. Cameron said. If all goes very well, she said it may follow in the footsteps of the St. Petersburg, Fla, service, which later upped flights from two days a week to three.