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LANETT — At its Monday meeting, the Lanett City Council announced the 2024 audit, increased the salaries for the mayor and council members who are sworn into office following this year’s municipal elections and tabled for further consideration two items of business relating to the Lanett Regional Airport.

The audit was prepared for the city by the Birmingham area company Phillip Morgan and Company, which has been doing audits for the city for a number of years now. They rendered a favorable opinion of the city’s financial reporting, finding it in compliance with relevant laws, regulations, contracts and agreements.

Under the new salary schedule, the monthly salary for the mayor who wins this year’s election will be $1,916.66 each month. The incoming council members will each receive $1,375 each month. At present, the mayor makes $1,500 a month and the council members $700.

The two resolutions dealing with the airport dealt with a contract for a company to install a 12,000-gallon jet fuel tank at the airport and an additional monthly amount charged to a flight school that is offering flight training at the airport.

Council members did not express any opposition to the proposals, but did express some reservations. Council Members Tony Malone and Tifton Dobbs both said it was something that needed to be discussed in a work session before acting on it. A resolution on increasing the monthly rent by $100 for the flight school was also tabled for further discussion.

Malone wondered if an extra $100 a month to permit more space in the terminal for instruction was enough. This would be in addition to $550 a month the flight school is already paying for office space in the terminal and tie-down spaces outside.

“Some people who rent from the city are already paying $300 to $400 a month,” Malone said.

Dobbs said the lease needed to be clarified to define the common area use that it would allow. “Pilots use the common area when they come in after landing,” he said. “What if a class is in session there when they come in?”

The two resolutions had been recommended by the airport’s consulting engineer, Goodbye, Mills & Cawood.

The proposed contract for het fuel is with Rebel Services LLC of Ripley, Mississippi. They would furnish all necessary labor, equipment and material and would do all the work needed for jet fuel to be sold at the airport.

Airport Manager Craig Stapleton told the council that the sale of jet fuel is a critical step forward that needs to be made. “Jets will not land here if it’s not available,” he said. “It’s a big source of revenue for the city when this is taking place. I’ve been told that the airport in LaGrange is bringing in $80,000 every month on jet fuel sales.”

Stapleton said the city did not need to have a lengthy delay on this. “From the time this contract is approved, it will take at least 10 to 12 months to have jet fuel out there,” he said.

For jets to land, jet fuel must be based there, Stapleton said. “If you don’t have it, they won’t land here,” he said.

Jets will need to land regularly for clients to want to build hangars on the site.

The council did approve a list of unused items that needs to be gotten rid of at the airport. Declared surplus were two wooden tables, two desks, a wooden cabinet, sawhorse, cabinet, paint sprayer, rotating beacon, some metal roofing sheets, a metal cabinet, metal stanchion, wooden bifold doors and some wooden beams. All are in poor condition.

Also declared surplus were some items that were recently replaced at the Lanett Senior Center. They included 12 light fixtures, an emergency light and a sofa.

Code Enforcement Officer Johnny Wood reported to the council on some recent abatements in the city, one of which was for a long-abandoned church in the city. The city should be getting $10,000 for work that was done in bringing it down and removing debris from the site. Another $7,000 will be coming from the removal of a commercial building.