Editor's Note: OpGov.News is presenting the Pensacola City Council's 2027 Budget Review in three parts because the meeting is too extensive to cover in a single report. This is the second of the three-part series, with the first published August 12.
(PENSACOLA, FL.) --- The projection that Pensacola International Airport will exceed three million passengers for the third consecutive year requires modernizing the terminal.
The cost: $110 million in bonds for the new concourse and a 629-space parking lot. That was the message given to officials at the August 11 budget review by Airport Director Matt Coughlin.
“When it comes to the city of Pensacola, that's like putting the entire city population through the airport every seven days,” Coughlin said of the 3 million annual passengers.
Photo Credit: Pensacola International Airport Director Matt Coughlin and Airport Finance Director Laura Amentler at the August 11 budget meeting
The airport director laid out the facility's divisions, including airport administration, operations, maintenance, and rescue and firefighting.
“We also have airport security, which is in essence the Pensacola Police Department,” Coughlin said. “The most expensive of those divisions is our maintenance division.”
The expense: $22.7 million for facility maintenance. The proposed overall budget for the airport is $52,365,000 for 2027.
Calling it a “lean organization,” Coughlin said, “in essence we have 50 city employees truly running the administration,” of the 2,000 airport employees. The organization is running smoothly, according to the director, who said “the customer satisfaction survey we conducted achieved a net promoter score of 97.7%.”
“That's pretty high,” Coughlin said.
Not according to Councilman Charles Bare.
“I hope you didn't survey the people that were sitting on the plane for four hours last night,” Bare said, noting his wife flew in for their 30th anniversary the evening before. “She was told that there were people that were sitting on a plane for four hours and they had to get off... those are probably not the ones that survey.”
While Bare thanked the director for the “great airport,” Council President Allison Patton wanted to know more funding.
Photo Credit: Council President Allison Patton at the 2027 Budget Review meeting
“So on the grants that you're going after for the new terminal and that project, are they to offset the need to take the $110 million that we have bonded, or are they in addition to?” Patton asked.
In addition, according to the airport director.
“We're going to have this nice, shiny, new security checkpoint, new concourse, but we also have to shine up what we currently own,” Coughlin said. “So that's what you're focused on.”
While visitors come through the airport seeking local fun, residents find it through the Pensacola Parks & Recreation Department, directed by Tanya Byrd, who informed officials that the department's budget is funded by the General Fund.
2026 funds went to a new software system that has “given us a greater level of tracking and reporting,” Byrd said.
“It’s also improved our customer service and made it easier for customers to go online and register for our programs,” Byrd said.
The recreation director noted “several project launches over the past year,” including the E.S. Cobb Resource and Fricker Center renovations, the Roger Scott pool bathroom replacement, and the Sanders Beach Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) kayak launch.
Photo Credit: Pensacola Parks, Recreation Director Tonya Byrd explaining 2026 accomplishments for the department
“Those are some of the big projects that we have moving forward right now,” Byrd said.
Speaking of ADA, Councilman Bare brought up Tippin Park, a project former Councilwoman Sheri Myers, who is running against Bare in the upcoming election, has championed for years.
“We had talked about that, and you were getting ready to order equipment,” Bare asked.
“I've been working with a new playground company that is actually scheduled to do a presentation and workshop with our parks and rec board,” Byrd said of the August meeting. “I think that they're going to bring a much more accessible playground, not just accessible but inclusive for all children.”
Council President Patton wanted to know more about recreation fees specifically since “the athletics program itself is $823,000.”
Deputy City Administrator Amy Miller answered, saying, “I believe that currently we are recovering about 5% of our costs for the programs that we put on."
Photo Credit: Pensacola Deputy City Administrator Amy Miller at the August 11 budget meeting
“I think the national average is somewhere in the 20 to 25 percent range so we are well below,” Miller said. “When Tonya mentioned early in her presentation and her remarks that we were going to be doing a comprehensive look at our fee structure going into the FY28 budget planning process."
The OpGov.News budget review final report will cover the fire department and port budgets, as well as Mayor D.C. Reeves' remarks.
Along with live coverage, the OpGov.News Platform picked up the Key Takeaways, noting many other department budget matters, as seen below.
Photo Credit: OpGov.News platform Key Takeaways from the August 11 Budget Review meeting
To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at angela.u@lead4earth.org.
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