The Chambers of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Decatur/Morgan County and Athens/Limestone County Monday announced a community recruitment initiative.

 The first town hall meetings for this community will be at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. March 10 at Athens State University’s McCandless Hall on campus.

Other town hall meetings will be at10:30 a.m. and  5:30 p.m. March 9 at Decatur Country Club; and 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m March 11 at Huntsville’s Jackson Center.

 “We encourage our entire region to attend one of the meetings to learn more about our program and how to get involved in recruiting a low cost carrier,” stated Hugh Ball, president, Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce.

The meetings are free and open to all business and industry in the Tennessee Valley region, as well as the general public. A $500 airfare voucher will be given away at each town hall meeting.

Ball said about 100 people attended Monday’s meeting at the Huntsville chamber. Athens-Limestone Economic Development Association President Tom Hill also attended.

The initiative will complement the communities’ ongoing air service development efforts, which were boosted by a $1 million Small Community Air Service Development grant awarded to Huntsville International Airport by the Department of Transportation. While the grant serves as a major stepping-stone toward securing a low-cost carrier, officials say that attracting a low-cost carrier and sustaining its service is a communitywide issue.

“Each year, nearly half a million people from within our community drive to competitive airports to take advantage of lower fares,” said Don Nalley, chairman, Board of Directors, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.

High airfares affect the entire community, from vacationing families, business travelers, to college students, Nalley said.

“And high airfares can have an enormous economic impact on the community – from recruiting business and industry to securing conferences and conventions. “The savings alone that can be generated by the presence of a low-cost carrier is astonishing – up to a 40 percent average reduction in fares, which translates to a potential savings in excess of $60 million,” said John Seymour, president, Decatur/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.

The initiative was expanded to the corporate community with ADTRAN Inc. becoming the first corporation to make a pledge – both in terms of community leadership and financial support.

“Unreasonably high airfares are a problem that has plagued our community for too long,” said Tom Stanton, chairman and CEO. “I am pleased to pledge ADTRAN’s support to the community initiative to correct this problem through the addition of a low-cost carrier in the Huntsville market…I would like to challenge other businesses and individuals throughout Huntsville and North Alabama to join us in this effort.”

One-on-one appointments to learn more about the low-cost carrier recruitment initiative are also available for companies and groups. For more information, contact (256) 258-1977.