"Indiana airport sets ground rules for spending"

Friday, June 29, 2007

Airport sets ground rules for spending
By Jon Seidel
The Gary (IN) Post-Tribune


GARY -- Ground rules for emergency spending by management at the
Gary/Chicago International Airport were established Thursday.

The new policy was approved by the airport authority nearly two months after
a narrow vote to ratify a loan of $325,000 to the now-defunct SkyValue USA.

Silas Wilkerson was the only member of the authority to vote against it. "I
didn't like the limits," Wilkerson said.

The policy puts a $25,000 cap on how much the airport director can spend on
budgeted items in an emergency situation, and it caps nonbudgeted spending
at $1,000.

Whenever money is spent under the policy, the airport director will have to
bring it to the authority at the next scheduled meeting and explain the
circumstances.

If the airport director needs to spend more than the policy allows, he is
required to immediately contact the authority's president and vice president
who, after speaking to the other members, will advise the director on how to
proceed.

Airport director Chris Curry made two loans to SkyValue, one for $115,000
and one for $210,000 in April without first seeking approval from the
airport authority.

Curry has said it was an emergency situation, and he informed authority
chairman Marion Johnson Jr. when he made the payment.

Soon after, the airport authority voted 4-3 to ratify the payment. 

Airport attorney Patrick Lyp said Thursday that the money has not been
returned to the airport, despite promises from SkyValue in April that the
money would be returned "in a few days."

Lyp said he is in negotiations with SkyValue, and he might be able to say
more when the airport authority meets in July.

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