The airport commission will make its case Tuesday to the Glynn County Commission for major changes to the airport ordinance.

Among the changes proposed is cutting the size of the Glynn County Airport Commission from nine to five members.

The Golden Isles Development Authority gave a thumbs up to the overhauled ordinance last week, but the changes require the approval of the county commission.

County commissioners likely won’t officially act on the request Tuesday.

Glynn County Airport Commission Executive Director Robert Burr said last week that the primary goal of the revision is to streamline the decision-making board by reducing its membership.

Other proposed changes include allowing the authority to sign contracts to manage airport facilities outside the county; creating a new committee to vet and recommend rules and regulations; and giving the airport commission the ability to represent the interests of the county before relevant government agencies.

Glynn County Commissioner Bill Brunson, a former member of the airport commission, serving on the board from 2009 to 2013, said the changes made sense to him.

“I don’t think it reduces any kind of transparency at all,” he said. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”

He said it may even be a good idea to establish the airport commission as an authority, granting it more autonomy.

“They are a very professional team out there, and I don’t think the (requirement to get) county approval (for some actions) does anything for them,” Brunson said. “I think it’s one of the best run operations in the county. I may be biased, but I think it is.”

Glynn County Commission Chairman Mike Browning is less confident in the board’s abilities.

“We have had some issues in the past with the airport,” Browning said.

He’s skeptical whether the airport commission would use the greater autonomy allowed in the ordinance change well following a situation in the past where the board, which answers to the Golden Isles Development Authority in most matters, flaunted the county commission’s authority.

“There were some comments made that the airport didn’t come under the county (but) under the EDA, and so (the county) had no authority,” Browning recalled. “That was disturbing.”

In particular, he doesn’t like the idea of allowing the airport commission to manage facilities outside Glynn County.

“For our airport commission and director that may want to get involved with other...airports outside this county and for it not to distract the director or the commission, I don’t see how it could do that,” Browning said.

Also when it meets Tuesday, the commission will discuss dropping its defined benefits pension plan in favor of a defined contributions plan.

Under a defined benefits plan, employees become vested in stages depending on how long they work for the county. When they retire, they get payouts without having to put any money directly into the plan.

A defined contributions plan is essentially a 401k retirement plan.

Commissioners have discussed the issue in the past and even looked at a hybrid of the two. Whatever is decided, Browning said the commission would not force existing employees to join a new pension plan. It would only apply to new employees.

“The financial risk and exposure to the county can be enormous if the markets go bad, especially in short periods of time,” Browning said. “The board is eager, in my opinion, to make a tough choice ...(but) a wise choice.”

The commission is also expected to receive an update on the ongoing overhaul of the county zoning ordinance.

The meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m in the Harold Pate Building, 1725 Reynolds St., Brunswick.

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