Hartsfield officials identify expired contracts

ATLANTA - Airport officials are revisiting long-expired contracts that are due an overhaul. <br> <br> Ben DeCosta, general manager of Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, said he has identified more than two dozen expired contracts that need to be updated. He told a City Council committee Wednesday that the airport is currently seeking new bids to provide some of the services at Hartsfield. <br> <br> In some cases, the airport is exercising options that would give the city more favorable terms in extending specific contracts, he said. For instance, DeCosta said new proposals are sought for Hartsfield&#39;s $275,000-a-year vending machine contract, which expired in 1995. <br> <br> Earlier this month, airport contracts came under scrutiny when The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that officials had repeatedly blocked new bids for contracts held by friends and political supporters of former mayors Bill Campbell and Maynard Jackson. <br> <br> ``There&#39;s not a single contract that was unfairly or unduly extended at any time when I was mayor,&#39;&#39; Jackson told WAGA-TV on Wednesday. <br> <br> Some contracts have been extended month to month since the 1990s while others haven&#39;t been rebid since 1981 like an indoor advertising contract that expired in 1998. <br> <br> Members of the council&#39;s Transportation Committee said they want to change past policy. <br> <br> ``The council&#39;s input should have been taken in some of these instances,&#39;&#39; Councilwoman Felicia Moore said Wednesday. ``We&#39;re not going to go back and try to revive things that have already died.&#39;&#39;

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