Appointments of Nez Perce County representatives to the board that is intended to take over operation of the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport may be delayed a week.

Some of his concerns are procedural, Prosecutor Dan Spickler said at a meeting with county commissioners Tuesday morning, but with the scrutiny that's now being placed on selection of members, he's concerned about allegations of conflict of interest and whether those were disclosed when applicants were interviewed.

He's also concerned about the voting method used by the commissioners, who cast "secret" ballots in an open meeting, Spickler said, and whether the people who have been selected but not yet formally appointed are taking actions as if the board was in existence.

"I'm concerned mainly also about a concept of serial meetings where an individual or group of individuals will visit each commissioner individually, thereby attempting to bypass the open-meeting laws," Spickler said.

That would also apply to the airport advisory commission, he said. Three of the four people selected by the city and county to serve on the authority are members of the advisory commission.

"So if there are serial meetings going on where information is being provided and that information is not being disclosed by either side," Spickler said, "I have some concerns."

Allegations of such meetings and of possible conflicts were made in a letter last week from Leroy Chausse of Lewiston who claims to represent a group of concerned citizens who are remaining anonymous because they are concerned about retaliation from Lewiston Councilor Thyra Stevenson and two members of the airport advisory commission, Jesse (Skip) Heard and Dick Roberts. Heard also is one of the two county appointees to the airport authority.

No one should be formally named to the authority until both the city and county have officially created it, and the agreement says that will take effect April 15, Spickler said.

The meeting was continued to 8 a.m. Thursday because Spickler said he needed more time for research.

Because creation of an airport authority is unprecedented here and because it will be given extraordinary powers over a major community asset, it's important not to rush into anything until everyone is certain it's absolutely right, he said.

Once the airport is turned over to the authority, the city and county will have limited capabilities, although they will have to sign off on the budget.

Once the appointments are completed - two each by the city and county and those four will name a fifth - the only way one can be removed except at the end of their terms would be by a vote of four members and concurrence of the appointing entity.

"I'm encouraged you will look into this a lot heavier," Richard (Jim) Finley told the commissioners and prosecutors at the meeting. Finley, the second county selection for the authority, asked the commission to adopt a phased approach to turning the airport over to the new managers. There is significant anxiety on the part of business owners and the general public, and outright opposition from some, he said.

There are too many unknowns for the city and county to not retain oversight, he said. "We've lost some of the trust and we need to get it back."

---

Lee may be contacted at slee@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.