"Montana Airport Authority to Remain"

Friday, February 25, 2005

Airport Authority to remain
By COLIN McDONALD
The Missoulian (MT)   


Missoula International Airport's bonds are not in doubt and the future of
the Airport Authority looks bright, officials said Thursday.

Airport Authority board chairman Cliff Larsen came to the Missoula County
commissioners Thursday morning looking for assurances that they do not
intend to dissolve his board.

He got that assurance - Larsen and the board should move ahead with
overseeing the airport, commissioners said.

"I don't envision any major or fundamental change in the Airport Authority's
legal structure," Commissioner Bill Carey said after the meeting. "I do
think we can add a few more folks to that board to broaden its base a bit,
but I think we are going to move ahead with a stronger partnership than we
had before."

Since airport director John Seymour resigned in January and was charged with
embezzlement, abusing his position and accepting a bribe, the airport has
been under close scrutiny by the county commissioners and the public.

Seymour has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Earlier this week, the Airport Authority was told that it could not meet a
Friday deadline to file a "continuing disclosure agreement" on about $7
million in bonds for various construction projects. The problem: questions
over the future of the board.

On Thursday, Commissioner Barbara Evans said she fully agreed with Carey's
endorsement of the airport board, and Commissioner Jean Curtiss said she
only wanted to see a few security measures implemented.

Although it lasted just 10 minutes, Larsen described the meeting as one the
most productive he has attended.

It was just enough time for the commissioners to say they believed the
airport board has done its job and served the community well, especially
with regard to the Seymour incident.

Evans, who has been involved with the airport's oversight for two decades,
said the board did what it needed to do in dealing with Seymour. The
$645,000 in missing funds was discovered internally, she said, and Seymour
has already repaid all but 4 percent of the money.

Now, Larsen said, the board can get back to the business at hand of hiring a
new director and overseeing the airport's construction and expansion
projects.

While the county commissioners did show their support for the Airport
Authority, Evans warned that the upcoming debate over what changes should be
implemented may sour the relationship between the commissioners and the
airport board.

However, speculation about the future does not hinder the current airport
board's ability to do its job - such as disclosing information for bonds.

Mae Nan Ellingson, an attorney with Dorsey & Whitney and bond counsel for
Missoula County, said she did not understand why the issue of the bonds was
ever in question.

"The fact that there are these discussions going on does not in any way
affect the Airport Authority's ability to do the things necessary to conduct
the business of the airport," Ellingson said. "It really turned out to be
much ado about nothing."


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