"Georgia airport might rethink firing"

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Airport might rethink firing
By Preston Sparks
The Augusta (GA) Chronicle


Ken Kraemer just might get a second chance after all.

Augusta Aviation Commissioner Brad Kyzer said Tuesday he is considering
asking for a vote to rescind the recent firing of Mr. Kraemer, Augusta
Regional Airport's former director, at the aviation commission's meeting
Thursday.

"That's a possibility," Mr. Kyzer said. "It's certainly being studied."

Mr. Kyzer is on the agenda to speak at Thursday's meeting along with
Commissioner Chris Cunningham, who said he would speak out about his
displeasure with Mr. Kraemer's firing.

"I'm going to express how I feel about the situation," Mr. Cunningham said
Tuesday.

Mr. Kraemer was fired Aug. 7 by a vote of 5-4. Two aviation commissioners -
Ed McIntyre and Mr. Cunningham - were unable to attend the meeting. A new
vote would bring them back into the picture.

"After the last one, I think everyone will be there," Mr. Kyzer said of
attendance for the next commission meeting.

Mr. Cunningham said he missed the last meeting because of an out-of-town
wedding and blames himself for not being present to vote in favor of Mr.
Kraemer. Still, the firing came as a surprise.

"I certainly didn't expect what happened while I wasn't there," he said.

Mr. Cunningham said he wouldn't ask for a new vote, but added, "I'm sure
it's going to be an interesting meeting."

Commission Chairman Cedric Johnson said he wants all commissioners to be
happy about all decisions the board makes. However, he wouldn't say whether
a second vote would be allowed.

"We would go through the proper procedure," he said Tuesday afternoon,
refusing to say what that procedure is.

"I want to make sure everything is done the right way," he said.

In the past, procedure hasn't always been followed by the board, members
admit. Two times, individual commission members made offers to Mr. Kraemer
to resign and accept a six-month severance package before he was fired. The
full board never voted to ask Mr. Kraemer about resigning.

A possible candidate to replace Mr. Kraemer also was named by some
individual commissioners before Mr. Kraemer was fired. That candidate, Gary
Green, who recently retired as the director of Colorado Springs Airport, was
then contacted about the position after Mr. Kraemer's firing. That was done
without a vote of the full commission.

There also are no disciplinary actions or job performance reviews in Mr.
Kraemer's personnel file, even though the board voted to place a letter of
reprimand in his file.

In the months leading up to Mr. Kraemer's firing, some aviation
commissioners criticized the airport director for requesting a $31,000 Ford
Explorer in 2002 without the aviation commission's approval.

However, Leslie Carter, the airport's finance director, said Tuesday that
other vehicles were purchased by the airport in 2002, but none were brought
before the commission for approval.

"We've never taken that before them since I've been here," she said, noting
that the procedure has been to have the vehicle budgeted, then bring it
before the city's fleet management department for a bidding process and
finally get approval by the Augusta Commission.

"It wasn't just the airport director's Ford Explorer that was not approved
by the aviation commission," Mr. Kraemer said. "No vehicle that's been
purchased by the airport has ever been approved by the aviation commission."

Mr. Kraemer has threatened to file a lawsuit against the city concerning his
firing, but he said he would be willing to work for the airport again if a
second vote is held.

"If the majority of the commission desired to have me back, I would be
honored to get back to work," he said.

On Tuesday, the possibility of a recount caused some commissioners to become
tight-lipped.

The newest commissioner, Bo Bovard, who replaced Whitney O'Keeffe, wouldn't
comment on the issue. Mr. O'Keeffe, who voted to keep Mr. Kraemer, resigned
after Mr. Kraemer's firing.

Mr. McIntyre said he also had no comment on whether he would favor a new
vote. However, Mr. McIntyre said he wouldn't have voted to fire Mr. Kraemer
at the last meeting.

"My position has been all the time that I would not vote to fire him, but I
would vote not to renew his contract at the appropriate time," he said.

Augusta Aviation Commissioner Brad Kyzer said he is considering asking his
fellow commissioners to rescind the vote that fired former director Ken
Kraemer. The meeting will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the airport.

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