Cherokee County Interim Administrator Ben Clary disputed a claim made by the airport commission chairman that county officials have been slow to embrace the need for a county airport.

Chairman Vic Sarratt described the airport project as having "stalled" in a meeting Tuesday to update his fellow commissioners.

A day later, Clary took the opportunity in a council meeting to take Sarratt to task.

"I take exception to this being directed at the county," Clary said. "I think it's been misdirected and certainly, in my opinion, should not be directed to this council."

Councilman Bailey Humphries, a staunch airport advocate, backed up Clary.

"I disagree with Sarratt," he said.

Sarratt said a contract for a required economic impact study went untouched for three weeks at the county administration office. Humphries said the study sat at the administration building for three days, not three weeks.

In March, the county agreed to cap its economic share of the study at $50,000, with the money coming from the county's airport fund and capital projects fund.

State officials have agreed to pick up one-half of the cost of the economic study, which could total as much as $95,000.

The county hired W.K. Dickson to conduct the study. Sarratt said the engineering firm has yet to begin the economic impact study.

Once W.K. Dickson begins the study, it will have six months to complete it.

Under the present time line, the county will miss the deadline for inclusion in the state aeronautic plan as well as to be eligible for federal funding this year, according to Sarratt.

W.K. Dickson representatives are expected to visit Gaffney on Monday for further discussions.