"Florida executive director probe cost airport $10,900"

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Jim Johnson probe cost airport $10,900
Johnson intended to retire in July
BY WAYNE T. PRICE 
FLORIDA TODAY 


The investigation that led to the forced retirement earlier this month of
former Melbourne International Airport Executive Director James Johnson cost
$10,900.

Johnson's interim replacement, Richard Ennis, disclosed the sum of the
investigation -- done earlier this year by former Brevard County Circuit
Court Judge Jere Lober -- in his report Wednesday to the Melbourne Airport
Authority.

None of the seven-members of the Airport Authority, who initiated the
investigation, commented on Lober's final fee.

Lober's found that Johnson spoke to a developer working with the airport
about possibly buying land that Johnson co-owned at the time. The inquiry by
Lober also found that Johnson failed to fully note his stake in the land on
disclosure forms.

Lober owns a professional-mediation firm on Merritt Islandand charges $200
an hour.

Ennis, in his report to Airport Authority members, said Lober's report
"turned out to be very complex and involved a considerable amount of time to
carefully gather the information."

Milo Zonka, a pilot and financial planner who first publicly asked about
Johnson's ownership in the land in January, said the expense of Lober's
investigation was worth it.

"It was money well-spent to clarify a very important issue," Zonka said.

Johnson, who had the use of an automobile and was paid $121,449 annually,
initially intended to retire in July as the investigation unfolded.

But a majority of Airport Authority members forced him to retire
immediately.

It is unknown if Johnson will accept the Airport Authority's retirement
offer of 640 hours of compensatory time. That translates into a $37,363
settlement.

The Airport Authority's attorney also wants Johnson to agree not to make any
more claims against the airport.

Johnson, the airport's executive director since 1996, adamantly denied any
wrongdoing, saying the issues cited in Lober's report amounted to simple
oversights.

Sandy Price, personnel director for the city of Melbourne -- the
municipality that owns Melbourne International -- said she hasn't heard from
Johnson if he planned to accept the Airport Authority's offer or not.

Johnson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Typically, the city's practice has been to give a person 21 business days to
accept a job settlement offer like the one made to Johnson, Price said.

"But there's nothing binding about that," she said.


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