Newman Field Now Cleared For Take-Off

Published 4:11 pm Thursday, November 15, 2012

FARMVILLE – Town Council voted Wednesday night to rename the Farmville Regional Airport in honor of Mayor Sydnor C. Newman, Jr.

Wednesday night's surprise vote means the facility in Cumberland will be called The Farmville Regional Airport-Newman Field.

Newman, an avid aviator, has been a member of Town Council since 1976 and mayor since 1998.

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The honor's take-off, however, was a little bumpy as the mayor initially responded with protestations and spoke of the need for additional improvements at the airport.

But the discussion ended in laughter, goodwill and a mayor clearly moved by the honor given him.

“I was going to do this in closed session,” Town Manager Gerald Spates announced when Town Council had concluded the items on its November agenda, “but I figured you would probably think we were talking about you in closed session if we asked you to leave…”

“We would be,” interjected council member Dr. Edward I. Gordon, with a smile, provoking laughter among his colleagues.

“Yes, we would be,” agreed Spates. “And I think it's unanimous among the council members that with your service to the Town…that it would be appropriate for council to pass a resolution renaming the Farmville Regional Airport in your honor, calling it Newman Field.”

Mayor Newman did not readily agree, however.

“Do I have any say-so about that?” he asked.

“No, sir, you're outnumbered,” the town manager replied. “I would like to ask council if they would consider renaming-it would still be the Farmville Regional Airport but would be called Newman Field in honor of the mayor and that we erect a plaque in the mayor's honor and change the signage at the airport.”

Council member David E. Whitus quickly said, “I make such a motion” and council member Sally Thompson wasted no time adding a second.

But the mayor then interceded again, saying, “I wish ya'll would think about that a little bit because I'm not really in favor of that.”

Dr. Gordon asked Mayor Newman if he would expound on what he meant and another council member pointed out that Newman eats, sleeps and drinks the airport.

“I know I stay at the airport a lot,” Mayor Newman answered, “and of course I'm always wanting for the best and…I'm always wanting too much out there…and it's not up to par that I would like for it to be,” he said, apparently expressing his desire for more improvements at the airport rather than it bearing his name.

“We'll get there one of these days but we've got a ways to go,” he said.

Thompson then overrode the mayor's objections, saying “that doesn't really have anything to do with renaming of the field. I think the idea still stands that the field would be named in your honor, and we'll still work on getting (the airport) up to par. Slowly.”

“Do I have your word on that?” the mayor asked.

“Slowly,” Thompson repeated.

The mayor's comments prompted Dr. Gordon to say, “maybe we should postpone this a little bit.”

“You've already got a motion,” Spates said.

“We've got a motion on the floor,” Thompson added.

“Well, I can make a substitute motion real easy,” Dr. Gordon pointed out. “While I'm in favor of (the renaming) I really feel like maybe we need to explore the real reasons. I would hate to name something after somebody who has real reasons to not want to do it and forcing it down someone's throat.”

Spates answered Dr. Gordon by saying, “I've known Syd a long time. Syd's been on council since I've been here and Syd doesn't like anybody to praise him for what he's done. If it wasn't for Syd the airport wouldn't be where it is and I know, I'm sure that what the mayor's talking about, you know we've got some facilities which we are working toward the runway extension, the parallel taxiway, a new parking area, but the mayor's been instrumental in all the improvements that have been done out there and if you had an endless pit of money I'm sure we could get everything done but I think it's appropriate, Mr. Mayor, for the airport to be named in your honor.

“I always find that everybody does something after somebody's-I'm not saying you're going to pass away-but usually tries to recognize somebody after they're not here any more.”

Which promoted a council member to jokingly say to Mayor Newman that they wanted to “get you while you're still standing.”

Spates continued, saying, “Why not honor somebody while they're here? We did the firehouse years ago for Philip Gay, Philip Gay was living and Philip was very instrumental in the fire department. I feel the same way about Syd…”

Dr. Gordon told Spates, “I don't think anybody disagrees with you at all. But, Syd,” Dr. Gordon then told Newman, “nobody's trying to embarrass you. If you have strong reasons (not to do it). We all would like to name it after you.”

Mayor Newman then replied, “I really appreciate ya'll thinking about me. It's a very nice gesture. I mean it's an extremely nice gesture, but ya'll ought to think about something like that. It's not that I don't appreciate it, it's just, I don't know, I feel kind of out of place…”

Spates then explained the Town could have just surprised him with the honor as an accomplished feat without him knowing anything about, rather than making the decision in Newman's presence.

“It's appropriate to do it. I would like to set up a dedication at the airport where we uncover the plaque and have a reception in your honor and I think,” Spates said before Dr. Gordon called for the vote to be taken.

The mayor's appreciation became more evident when he responded to Dr. Gordon's call for the vote by saying, with a smile, “Well, I'm not going to veto it, put it that way.”

And everyone laughed.

“There we go,” said Thompson with a wide smile.

With laughter still filling the council chambers, Spates grinned and told the mayor, “If it's unanimous you don't have any choice.”

The vote was unanimous.

The full depth of the mayor's embrace of the honor became evident when he expressed his thanks with clear emotion thickening his voice.

“I thank all of ya'll for thinking about me like that because the airport does mean a whole lot to me because I've been flying out since the old airport out there,” he said, “and we've come a long ways since then and it's something that I want and something that I like and appreciate ya'll doing this for me.”

Spates good-naturedly told him, “Just because we name it after you doesn't mean you own it.”

“Or,” added council member Donald L. Hunter, “that we're going to buy you a plane.”

“Yeah,” council member Tommy Pairet added, amid the continuing chuckles, “we're not going to buy you a plane.”