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Friday, December 18, 2015

Should Airport Authority Extend Charter 50 Years?

I've told you that the Board of Governors of the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority recently met at, of all places, the Saucon Valley Country Club. Executive Director Charles Everett wanted to hire a law firm that employs his wife "of counsel." And that same Executive Director, with his wife, was spotted over the weekend making a booze run in a government-supplied Chevy Tahoe. Now comes word that the Airport Authority wants to extend its Charter by another 50 years.

This was a topic for discussion at the last meeting of Northampton County Council. But its liaison to the Airport Authority, Glenn Geissinger, was absent. He's running for Congress and has no time for lowly county government. But he was nice enough to email Council members a few days later. Here's what he said.

The LNAA is requesting a 50 year extension of its charter in order to enter into a lease agreement with a vendor. The terms of the lease that are being negotiated would exceed the current life span authorization of the authority.

The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners brought this item to its meetings and determined to table it in order to enter into an open discussion about the LNAA with Northampton County Council. Lehigh County Chairman, Brad Osborne is working to set a joint meeting of both our boards and the executive leadership of the LNAA.

Since it has been the general feeling by both county governing bodies that the LNAA has not been as responsive to the needs of the citizens of the Lehigh Valley as it could have been in the past and both boards, along with their respective county executives, have placed a sitting member of their body on the LNAA Board of Governors, Mike Schware is Lehigh County’s, I support moving forward with such a public meeting to allow the LNAA leadership to layout its vision for the future of the aviation assets in its control and to allow the governing bodies to openly counsel together and have public input into the future direction of the LNAA.

President Ferraro has authorized me to work with Commissioner Osborne to ensure that such a meeting is coordinated in the near future. I expect we will have it shortly after the beginning of the New Year after our new members are sworn.

 Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
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4 comments:

  1. DaveDecember 18, 2015 at 3:43 PM

    Why can't management of ABE be contracted to a private company?

    A long-term lease, perhaps for 10 years, will shift much greater responsibility and entrepreneurial incentive to the airport company, while liberating much of both Lehigh and Northampton's previous investment in the airport. The purpose of government is not to manage airports,

    The benefits of a more entrepreneurial approach to running ABE includes increased operating efficiency, improved amenities and other benefits.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 18, 2015 at 5:25 PM

    I think airports should be managed by government agencies....especially in this age of terrorism.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 18, 2015 at 9:02 PM

    Bernie,
    With your putting to print the qwick belt of alcohol on a break via agent 99 we would think there would be new management immedietly¿!($ This much like local politics in ReNUE the valley has one browne hole covering for other brown holes epicentralized all criminal ACTivities of the same old spinckters¿!($
    So hopping freakquant flyers of the circus snake oil salesmen story is put to print in opinions this weak¿!($ So sad to see the ironlady leaving as the stories of our fathers that were prepared to die for this great nation and our childrens children, only to be robbed of a future by the most horrific domestic terrorists today homegrown¿!($ The Circus is Never Ending Story Line of Horrors for so many¿!($
    redd
    patent pending

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 23, 2015 at 9:09 AM

    I wonder how long until they allow for cameras to roll and turn that place into a reality show for a buck. It sure is perfect for train wreck television. Up to 7 directors from 4 including Chuck now. Guess they figure they need to get up to one director for each board member. Adding assistants to assistants and specialists to managers not to mention people to run and get all of them food. Guess you also need people to cover people taking extra vacations they haven't earned yet. That fourth floor must be ready to get built. They sure don't have any room left for computers and desks for each of these people to update their Facebook, Twitters and do their shopping while they "work". Keep patting yourselves on the backs ladies and gents for what you see as smart decisions. Just think if you actual put the egos aside and thought about what you do they might actually be smart not lucky. Oh and next time you're out running for booze can you get me a bottle of Jack some Jose and a bag of ice.

    ReplyDelete

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