Office furniture, foreground, parts and specialized equipment used to disassemble jets sit Friday afternoon at the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
AUBURN — City officials in Auburn and Lewiston postponed a decision Monday on proposed changes to the board that oversees the cities’ municipal airport.
The two cities held a rare joint meeting at Auburn Hall that consisted of a 45-minute executive session and a decision by both councils to table votes on the proposed board changes to June.
The Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport interlocal agreement was signed in 1979 establishing a board of directors to operate, maintain and improve the airport.
The proposed changes, outlined earlier this month, would downsize the board membership from nine to five members, removing three resident members and making the board makeup feature exclusively city staff.
Some have argued that shifting the current board makeup would remove important voices from the board that are knowledgeable in aviation. However, Jonathan LaBonte, chairman of the airport board and de facto manager of the airport since the March departure of Manager James Scheller, has said having pilots on the board runs the risk of conflict of interest because the board sets rates and fees for services and other financial matters.
LaBonte is Auburn’s full-time transportation systems director.
The five members would be two staff members each from the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, as well as the executive director of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments.
Because the item was tabled, there was no public comment.
“I’m happy we voted to table to allow more time for public and pilot input,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said.
The proposal was brought before Lewiston and Auburn city councils earlier this month and both decided to postpone any action until May 15. Now, the decision is postponed until at least the first week of June.
LaBonte told the Sun Journal that the changes would make the board more efficient and stable, allowing it to focus on the betterment of the municipal airport, which has seen a lot of turnover and frustration in the past year or more. Three seats on the board are vacant.
In response to concerns about removing the voice of pilots, tenants or residents, LaBonte said an advisory board could be established that could include pilots for their collective experience and perspective on issues that affect them and the airport.
Scheller was hired as the airport manager on Jan. 14, 2022, signed a four-year contract and left at the end of March.
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