§ 18-37. Findings and purpose.

It is hereby reaffirmed that:

(1)

Pursuant to F.S. § 332.08(1), and this article, the Collier County Airport Authority is responsible for the operation of three airports: The Immokalee Regional Airport in Immokalee; the Marco Island Executive Airport, located Northeast of Marco Island; and the Everglades City Airpark, located in the City of Everglades.

(2)

The three County airports are valuable assets that bear upon a viable and diversified economy for the Collier County Community.

(3)

The Board of County Commissioners of Collier County desires to provide for enhanced development and eventual operation of the airports as enterprise operations.

(4)

F.S. ch. 332, §§ 332.001—332.12, ("Airport Law of 1945"), authorizes Collier County to acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate, and regulate County airports and other air navigation facilities, and provides that the exercise of any other power specified therein granted to counties are public, governmental functions exercised for a public purpose and are matters of public necessity.

(5)

F.S. § 332.08(1), authorizes Collier County to vest authority for the construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, operation, and regulation of airports, restricted landing areas, and other air navigation facilities, in an officer, board, or body of the County by ordinance, which shall prescribe the powers and duties of such officer, board or body.

(6)

The three Collier County owned airports require attention, including short and long range planning, to encourage and foster the development of infrastructure and facilities to be operated for the benefit of citizens and taxpayers in the County.

(7)

The three airports should be developed to promote the welfare of all current and future residents of the County.

(8)

It is the intent of the Board of County Commissioners to maintain a Collier County Airport Authority in Collier County with the powers and responsibilities as provided in F.S. § 332.08, and pursuant to the governmental powers granted to counties in F.S. ch. 125.

(9)

This airport authority is consistent with and furthers the County's comprehensive plan and provides a focused approach to the provision, development and management of public infrastructure and services at the three Collier County airports, and is one available means for delivery of such facilities and services at the three airports.

(10)

The provisions of this article shall be liberally construed to effectively carryout its purposes in the interest of the public health, safety, welfare and convenience. This article shall be construed to be consistent with F.S. ch. 189, (the "Uniform Special District Accountability Act of 1945"), and F.S. ch. 332, (the "Florida Airport Act of 1945"); with F.S. ch. 286, ("Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law"); and with F.S. ch. 119, (Florida's Public Records Law), as those statutes may be amended from time-to-time.

(11)

Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect any actions previously taken by Collier County and/or the Collier County Airport Authority, or any agreements previously entered into by Collier County and/or the airport authority.

(12)

It is the intent of this article to grant to the airport authority more freedom and autonomy to carry on its day-to-day activities with minimal management from the board and from the clerk to the board, and with the intent to eventually have the authority to become independent by passage of a special act of the Florida Legislature.

(Ord. No. 04-03, § 2)