The appointed body that governs Augusta Regional Airport is continuing a push to become an airport authority not subject to the Augusta Commission.

Augusta Aviation Commission on Thursday unanimously authorized airport Executive Director Gary LeTellier to seek an outside legal opinion on how the airport commission could convert to an authority, after existing legal opinions were said to differ on the topic.

The panel also approved tasking LeTellier with determining the scope and getting a cost estimate for hiring a consultant to ascertain how to replace city services currently provided the airport, such as human resources, procurement and security.

“I openly admit, I have a bias,” said LeTellier, who prefers the tasks be handled externally.

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