“Frankly, I can see no legitimate reason why they would not.”
Why, because someone’s head might explode!
Is that legitimate?
So Joe Briggs will not be serving on the Airport Authority Board. “The flip-flop came after attorneys for the Airport Authority Board fired off a letter stating the appointment of Briggs would be “improper and illegal” and “only exacerbate an already bad relationship with the Airport Authority.”
You’ll note, I’m sure, that the previous article in the Trib stated “Commissioners are expected to act on a motion at their Feb. 15 meeting to appoint County Commissioner Joe Briggs to fill the remaining 10 months of Johannes’ term. The news release said it is common for county commissioners to serve on airport boards, noting Missoula County added a county commissioner to its airport board two years ago.”
In today’s paper, we have another worthy quote. “Before the vote, Ed Buttrey, chairman of the Airport Authority, told commissioners that the board rates candidates using several qualifications, including financial skills, board experience, continuing education and freedom from interests in airport business or property.”
I happen to view Mr. Buttreys statement as indicative of the absolute arrogance of the Authority. The man who owns Cable Technologies, an aviation industry, and has sold or may sell products to AvMax, a tenant at the airport, objects to someone else on the basis of “freedom from interest in airport business or property”? Mr. Buttrey, in fact, seems to have as much conflict as Mr. Johannes, who simply worked for a corporation which rented a hangar at the Airport.
Now, the exacerbating of already strained relations, that I can understand. After all, the County Commission seems to believe it has the right to appoint members to the Board. So do the County Attorney, and District Court Judge Tucker.
In January of 2007, six months after Judge Tucker signed the Writ of Mandamus ordering the immediate seating of Johannes, House Bill 314 appeared. Johannes had still not been seated.
Proponents included Joe Briggs, Cascade County Commissioner, & J. C. Kantorowicz, President, Great Falls Pilots Association.
Opponents included Cynthia Schultz, Airport Director, Great Falls Airport Authority.
House Bill 314 was “AN ACT CLARIFYING APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES FOR COMMISSIONERS OF REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITIES”. It died, Mr. Johannes was not seated, and the Airport continued conducting its business, with a finger flying for the authority of the City and County Commissions to determine who represents them on the board they created, and can legally dissolve.
“The Primary check on the power of an Airport Authority is the ability of the creating governing bodies to appoint the members of the Airport Authority Board. This is why the continued refusal of the Great Falls Airport Authority to seat the appointment made by the Cascade County Commission on February 14, 2006 represents such a serious concern.”
I’ll give 3-1 odds the Authority is going to have problems seating Mr. Kantorowicz. After all, he is a pilot. That is clearly a conflict. Somehow.
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