"JAA, city financial dealings are displeasing to the nose"

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

JAA, city financial dealings are displeasing to the nose
The Florida Times-Union


Things still stink at the Jacksonville Airport Authority and it's not
spoiled food left over from Hurricane Frances.

You probably remember the authority's embarrassing record of wasteful
expenditures, big salaries, extravagant bonuses and lavish spending on
travel and living the high life.

Now you can add an act of cronyism that was nipped in the bud only after a
Times-Union reporter began asking questions about it.

The authority was set last week to award a $130,000 airport advertising
contract to a new company started by Ronald Townsend.

Hold on. Not so fast.

That would be the same Ronald Townsend who served on the authority from 2001
until September 2003 and who was the authority's chairman for the last year
of his term.

State and city ethics policies apparently don't prevent a former authority
member from doing business with the authority he served on, but consider
this:

While he was chair, Townsend alone evaluated the work of John Clark, the
JAA's executive director, and pushed a mega-bonus and raise for Clark. Then
before stepping down from the authority, Townsend saw to it that Clark's
contract was extended by three years even though there was still one year
remaining on the contract.

Gee, what a surprise that the authority was moving toward awarding the
contract to Townsend's new company over another company that specializes in
airport advertising.

After Times-Union reporter Gregory Richards began asking about the deal,
Townsend withdrew his proposal.

It shouldn't have been made in the first place.


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