Sec. 15-120bb. Connecticut Airport Authority. Board of directors. Executive director. Annual report.
Sec. 15-120ii. Rates, rents, fees and charges. Annual operating budget.
Sec. 15-120nn. Operation and management of airports.
Sec. 15-120bb. Connecticut Airport Authority. Board of directors. Executive director. Annual report. (a) There is hereby established and created a body politic and corporate, constituting a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the state of Connecticut established and created for the performance of an essential public and governmental function, to be known as the Connecticut Airport Authority. The authority shall not be construed to be a department, institution or agency of the state.
(b) The powers of the authority shall be vested in and exercised by a board of directors, which shall consist of eleven members, appointed as follows: (1) (A) The Treasurer or the Treasurer's designee, (B) the Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee, and (C) the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the commissioner's designee, each serving ex officio; (2) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives for a term of four years; (3) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives for a term of four years; (4) one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate for a term of four years; and (5) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate for a term of four years. Thereafter, such members of the General Assembly shall appoint members of the board to succeed such appointees whose terms expire and each member so appointed shall hold office for a period of four years from the first day of July in the year of his or her appointment. The Governor shall appoint four members to the board as follows: (A) Two members for two years; and (B) two members for four years. Thereafter, the Governor shall appoint members of the board to succeed such appointees whose terms expire and each member so appointed shall hold office for a period of four years from July first in the year of his or her appointment. Appointed directors shall have business and management experience and shall include individuals who have experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: (i) Financial planning, (ii) budgeting and assessment, (iii) marketing, (iv) master planning, (v) aviation, and (vi) transportation management.
(c) Appointed directors may not designate a representative to perform in their absence their respective duties under this section. Any appointed director who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the board or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings of the board held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the board. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the balance of the unexpired term.
(d) The board of directors of the authority shall appoint an executive director who shall not be a member of the board and who shall serve at the pleasure of the board and receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the board. The executive director shall be the chief administrative officer of the authority and shall direct and supervise administrative affairs and technical activities in accordance with the directives of the board. The executive director shall approve all accounts for salaries, allowable expenses of the authority or of any employee or consultant thereof, and expenses incidental to the operation of the authority. The executive director shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the board in carrying out the purposes of subdivision (12) of section 1-79, sections 1-120, 1-124 and 1-125, subsection (f) of section 4b-3, sections 13b-4 and 13b-42, subsection (a) of section 13b-44 and sections 15-101aa and 15-120aa to 15-120oo, inclusive. The executive director shall be exempt from the classified service. The executive director shall attend all meetings of the board, keep a record of the proceedings of the authority and shall maintain and be custodian of all books, documents and papers filed with the authority and of the minute book or journal of the authority and of its official seal. The executive director may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the authority and may give certificates under the official seal of the authority to the effect that such copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the authority may rely upon such certificates.
(e) Each director shall be entitled to reimbursement for such director's actual and necessary expenses incurred during the performance of such director's official duties.
(f) Directors may engage in private employment, or in a profession or business, subject to any applicable laws, rules and regulations of the state or federal government regarding official ethics or conflict of interest.
(g) Six directors of the authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority. For the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority, and except as otherwise provided in this section, the authority may act by a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance.
(h) The board may delegate to six or more directors such board powers and duties as it may deem necessary and proper in conformity with the provisions of this section and its bylaws.
(i) The appointing authority for any director may remove such director for inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office after giving the director a copy of the charges against the director and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel, in the director's defense, upon not less than ten days' notice. If any director shall be so removed, the appointing authority for such director shall file in the office of the Secretary of the State a complete statement of charges made against such director and the appointing authority's findings on such statement of charges, together with a complete record of the proceedings.
(j) The authority shall continue as long as it has bonds or other obligations outstanding and until its existence is terminated by law. Upon the termination of the existence of the authority, all its rights and properties shall pass to and be vested in the state of Connecticut.
(k) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, it shall not constitute a conflict of interest for a trustee, director, partner or officer of any person, firm or corporation, or any individual having a financial interest in a person, firm or corporation, to serve as a director of the authority, provided such trustee, director, partner, officer or individual shall abstain from deliberation, action or vote by the authority in specific respect to such person, firm or corporation.
(l) The Governor shall appoint the chairperson of the board, who shall serve for a term of four years. The board shall elect from its members a vice chairperson and such other officers as it deems necessary. Vacancies among any officers shall be filled within thirty days following the occurrence of such vacancy in the same manner as the original selection. Said board shall establish bylaws to govern its procedures and shall appoint such committees and advisory boards as may be convenient or necessary in the transaction of its business.
(m) The initial members of the board may begin service immediately upon appointment, but shall not serve past the sixth Wednesday of the next regular session of the General Assembly unless qualified in the manner provided in section 4-7. Thereafter, all appointments shall be made with the advice and consent of both houses of the General Assembly, in the manner provided in section 4-19.
(n) Not later than October 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and finance, revenue and bonding, summarizing, for each airport the authority oversees, the operating revenue and expenditures for the prior fiscal year, the capital revenue and expenditures for the prior fiscal year and an overview of any plans for acquisition, closure or expansion of an airport in the coming year.
(P.A. 11-84, S. 2; P.A. 13-244, S. 27; P.A. 14-199, S. 11; P.A. 15-192, S. 1; P.A. 23-135, S. 31; 23-204, S. 396.)
History: P.A. 11-84 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-244 amended Subsec. (d) to replace reference to Sec. 1-79(l) with reference to Sec. 1-79(12); P.A. 14-199 added Subsec. (n) re establishment of advisory committee, effective June 12, 2014; P.A. 15-192 amended Subsec. (n) by adding provision re one or more representatives from western Massachusetts, effective July 2, 2015; P.A. 23-135 deleted Subsec. (n) re establishment of advisory committee, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 added Subsec. (o), codified by the Revisors as new Subsec. (n), re submission of annual report summarizing operating and capital revenue and expenditures and plans for acquisition, closure or expansion of an airport, effective July 1, 2023.
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Sec. 15-120ii. Rates, rents, fees and charges. Annual operating budget. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes to the contrary and subject to any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds pursuant to section 15-120ff, the authority is authorized to fix, revise, charge and collect rates, rents, fees and charges for the use of and for the services furnished or to be furnished by the facilities of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports and to contract with any person, partnership, association or corporation, or other body, public or private, in respect thereof. Such rates, rents, fees and charges shall be fixed and adjusted in respect of the aggregate of rates, rents, fees and charges from the operation of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports so as to provide funds sufficient with other revenues or moneys available therefor, if any, (1) to pay the cost of maintaining, improving, repairing and operating the facilities of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports and each and every portion thereof, to the extent that the payment of such cost has not otherwise been adequately provided for, (2) to pay the principal of and the interest on any outstanding revenue obligations of the authority, including obligations of the state that may be assumed by the authority, issued in respect of the project as the same shall become due and payable, and (3) to create and maintain reserves and sinking funds required, permitted or provided for in any resolution authorizing, or trust agreement securing, such obligations. A sufficient amount of the revenues as may be necessary to pay the cost of maintenance, repair and operation and to provide reserves and for renewals, replacements, extensions, enlargements and improvements, as may be provided for in the resolution authorizing the issuance of any bonds or in the trust agreement securing the same, shall be set aside at such regular intervals as may be provided in such resolution or trust agreement in a reserve, sinking or other similar fund. The use and disposition of moneys to the credit of such reserve, sinking or other similar fund shall be subject to the provisions of the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds or of such trust agreement.
(b) The authority shall designate the beginning and ending dates of the fiscal year for the operation of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports. The authority shall approve an annual operating budget for Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports for each such fiscal year, providing for (1) payment of the costs of maintaining, repairing and operating the facilities of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports and each and every portion thereof during such fiscal year, to the extent that the payment of such costs has not otherwise been adequately provided for, (2) the payment of the principal of and interest on any outstanding revenue obligations of the authority, including obligations of the state that may be assumed by the authority, becoming due and payable in such fiscal year, and (3) the creation and maintenance of reserves and sinking funds, and compliance with rate covenants, required, permitted or provided for in any resolution authorizing, or trust agreement securing, such obligations. Such annual operating budget shall include an estimate of revenues from the rates, rents, fees and charges fixed by the authority pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and from any and all other sources, to meet the estimated expenditures of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports for such fiscal year. The annual operating budget of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports as so approved shall take effect as of the date of its approval. On or before the twentieth day of each month, including the month next preceding the first month of the fiscal year to which the annual operating budget applies, the authority or the trustee under any trust indenture securing the bonds issued under section 15-120ff, at the direction of the authority, shall transfer to operating advance accounts established by the authority from the funds available for such purpose such amount as may be necessary to make the amount then held within such accounts for the payment of operating expenses of Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports equal to such amount as shall be necessary for the payment of such operating expenses during the next ensuing two months, as shown by the annual operating budget for such fiscal year. Except as otherwise provided in sections 15-120aa to 15-120oo, inclusive, either expressly or by implication, all provisions of the general statutes governing state employees and state property, and all other provisions of the general statutes applicable to Bradley, the general aviation airports and any other airports, shall continue in effect. All pension, retirement or other similar benefits vested or acquired at any time before or after July 1, 1981, with respect to any state employees shall continue unaffected and as if the salaries and wages of such employees continued to be paid out of the general funds of the state.
(P.A. 11-84, S. 9; P.A. 23-135, S. 28.)
History: P.A. 11-84 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 23-135 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting deadline to approve annual operating budget, effective July 1, 2023.
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Sec. 15-120nn. Operation and management of airports. (a) The authority shall have entire charge, control, operation and management of any airport or restricted landing area which it owns, leases, controls, operates or manages.
(b) The authority may sell, lease or grant any interest in any airport or airport site, or any part thereof, hangars, shops or other buildings or other property which it owns, leases, operates or manages. Leases of land of the state shall be for periods determined by the authority and may provide for the construction of buildings on the land. The authority may confer the privilege of concessions of supplying, upon the airports, goods, commodities, service and facilities. The authority shall grant no exclusive right for the use of any airway, airport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility under its jurisdiction.
(c) The authority may purchase or acquire title in fee simple to, or any lesser estate, interest or right in, any airport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility owned or controlled by any municipality or by any two or more municipalities jointly or by any other person, except any such purchase or lease of an airport owned or controlled by a municipality, or any political subdivision thereof, shall be subject to the approval of the legislative bodies of the municipality that owns or controls the airport and the municipality within whose territorial limits the airport is located, which such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to displace or supersede an existing agreement that is executed between a municipality, or any political subdivision thereof, that owns or controls an airport and the municipality within whose territorial limits the airport is located with regard to the airport.
(d) The authority may purchase or acquire any interest, in whole or in part, in land, buildings, equipment or facilities that it has leased or granted in any airport, airport site or any part thereof pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The authority's determination that such purchase or acquisition is necessary shall be conclusive.
(e) The authority may (1) prohibit, limit or restrict the parking of vehicles, (2) determine speed limits with the approval of the Office of the State Traffic Administration, (3) restrict roads or portions thereof to one-way traffic, (4) designate the location of crosswalks, on any portion of any road or highway upon the grounds of any airport owned or held under lease by the state, and (5) erect and maintain signs designating such prohibitions or restrictions. The authority may provide by procedure for a fine for any person who fails to comply with any such prohibition or restriction.
(f) The authority may enter into an agreement with any municipality within or near which any airport owned or leased by the state is located, for the purpose of mutual assistance for fire protection.
(P.A. 11-84, S. 14; P.A. 12-132, S. 47; P.A. 23-135, S. 52; 23-204, S. 260.)
History: P.A. 11-84 effective July 1, 2011 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (f), the word “which” was inserted editorially by the Revisors for clarity); P.A. 12-132 amended Subsec. (e)(2) by replacing “State Traffic Commission” with “Office of the State Traffic Administration”, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 23-135 amended Subsec. (c) to add exception re authority's purchase of airport owned by municipality subject to approval by municipality in which airport is located, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 amended Subsec. (c) to add provisions re lease of airport, re approval by municipal legislative bodies and re nothing in subsection to be construed to displace or supersede an existing agreement, effective July 1, 2023.
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