Clarksville, TN – After weeks of miscommunication, and misunderstanding over invoices related to the construction of the new airport terminal, it appears that the Airport Authority is going to get it’s money from the City of Clarksville.
Accusations had been running rampant on all sides of the issue, concerning unpaid bills, causing some city and county leaders to question what was going on at Outlaw Field. Further questions about cost over-runs, and “change orders” were of concern.
The accusations had reached a fever pitch, and last Friday, board chairman Dr. Ron Whitford met with Clarksville mayor Kim McMillan to come to an understanding of the problem. It appears that the city is following through with its promise.
City Finance Director Ben Griffin requested that airport manager John Patterson give him a “dollar amount of what was needed” to support it’s cash flow issues. Patterson said that they were assured of receiving the balance of $431,682.18 that the city owes on the project. Griffin had requested invoices to verify that figure, something that Patterson said he would do.
The city then told Patterson that they would get them a check for $219,553.78, and would “expedite” future payments to support the airports “cash flow” problem. The city said it was not “comfortable” with “advancing” everything that the city owed, unless the airport could show a need for holding over $400,000 in reserves.
City Hall said they would bring their payments up to the level of what’s been paid by Montgomery County.
Board Chairman Ron Whitford said he was “pleased” at the citys actions today. “We have said all along, that we just expect the city to pay us what they agreed to pay. We’ll finish the project and bring it in on budget.”
Whitford told WJZM in an interview last Saturday morning on Clarksville in Review that “Having to deal with three accounting systems, and two government entities made this a very difficult situation. There was plenty of miscommunication to go around.”
You can listen to the Clarksville in Review on podcast.
The new Airport Terminal is scheduled to be finished by this spring.
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