Turf war develops over who controls airport functions

An analysis

Copyright 1998. The Tuskegee News, Tuskegee, Alabama. Published November 19, 1998, and posted by permission.

In the old Abbott and Costello baseball routine, the question is asked "Who's on first?" The answer is confusing to say the least. Who might be on second with what on first.

That's about the way it is in the public's view when it comes to who's in charge of what at Moton Field, Tuskegee's municipal airport. One thing is certain. There are several parties who want to be in charge--and have reason to believe that they are. The long-simmering "turf war" over development of the airport has surfaced again recently. Involved most prominently are the Tuskegee City Council, the Tuskegee Airport Authority, Mayor Ron Williams, Airport Authority consultant Bobby Owens and Moton Field's Fixed Base Operator Col. (Ret.) Roosevelt Lewis.

Also joining the controversy by the nature of their functions are the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) and the Alabama Department of Aeronautics. Add to the mix other public officials along with Tuskegee University's historical and current relationship with Moton Field, and there's a real mess.

In reality, most parties involved have legitimate reasons to back their arguments that they should be calling the shots. Federal and state regulations, ownership of Moton Field and other factors are involved. One thing is certain, working together doesn't appear at the top of their agendas.

Consider the latest "showdown" between the Airport Authority, certain council members and the mayor. The city is positioned to receive funding for a Global Landing System (GPS) and an updated master plan for Moton Field. Also, the city could be in line for about a $1.4 million grant with only 5 percent matching funds from the city, which could be paid for by in-kind services rather than cash. That grant would include resurfacing the runways and upgrading other areas at Moton Field.

Included in that proposal--which was signed off on by Mayor Williams--is a 6,500-foot runway. Airport authority members--Bifford Stephens (new chairman), Robert Hicks and Raymond Griffin, along with their consultant Owens--say there is already an airport plan that the Authority developed about five years ago after it was formed in 1993. That plan asks the FAA for $26 million in improvements to make an international cargo hub at Moton Field. That plan would require a 10,000 foot runway.

Some label that a "pie in the sky" plan that isn't feasible. Airport Authority members say why not shoot for the best. Owens said as many at 15,000 jobs could be created by development of Moton Field under the Airport Authority's request that requires the 10,000 foot runway. Dr. John Eagerton, director of the Alabama Department of Aeronautics gets into the mix at this juncture. He appeared before the Tuskegee City Council Tuesday, Nov. 10, to ask the council to accept the GPS system and other portions of the project.

Council President Freddie Washington and council member Lateefah Muhammad, the council's liaison to the Airport Authority, strongly objected to the appearance of Dr. Eagerton and three other representatives involved with the project appearing before the council without being listed on the agenda. The mayor said they were appearing under the Mayor's Report, other matters, which to him constitutes an agenda item.

Washington and Muhammad insisted that the presentation be made at a work session of the council--as is the normal procedure--and then brought before the full council for action.

Dr. Eagerton and other representatives, two of whom had driven from Mobile, left the meeting after beginning their presentation and hearing objections from Washington and Muhammad. The two council members insisted that all par- ties--council, Airport Authority, Moton Field Fixed Base Operator Col. Lewis--meet together to hear Dr. Eagerton's report. Then the council would be better positioned to make some decisions, they said.

An FAA official has also been requested to meet with all parties, a meeting that could take place as early as next week after previous attempts at such a meeting have fallen through.

How did this all come about, and why are there differences of opinion about who has the authority to request applications from the FAA for upgrading Moton Field? In other words, who's in charge.

In the early 1970s, the deed to Moton Field was transferred by Tuskegee Institute to the city of Tuskegee in an effort to get funding to upgrade the airport and pave runways. An Airport Advisory Board was created that included several local citizens. Funding was provided to install paved runways at Moton Field. The runway is about 5,000 feet and there hasn't been any major project to upgrade the airport since that funding.

In 1993, the Airport Authority was created by the council. Of present council member, only Mae Doris Williams was on that council.

According to the Authority's incorporation papers, which includes its then and current members Stephens, Griffin and Hicks, the purpose of the authority shall be "to plan, establish, develop, acquire, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate, regulate and protect airports and air navigation facilities within the corporate limits and police jurisdiction of the city of Tuskegee, Alabama, and to carry out all purposes and others which an airport authority may be empowered to conduct in pursuant to the Alabama Code."

There is another part of the papers stating that terms of the conveyance of the Moton Field Municipal Airport by Tuskegee Institute to the City of Tuskegee must not be violated. The conveyance states that Moton Field must be used only for aviation purposes. On at least two occasions since then, plans were halted on attempts to put other businesses at the airport under the threat that the deed would be transferred back to the University.

The then council chose not to convey the airport deed to the Airport Authority. Former Mayor Johnny Ford said there was reluctance to do that because Tuskegee Institute, now University, had conveyed the deed to the airport to the city, not an authority. Ford also said there was concern about the city being taken out of control of the airport if it transferred the deed to the authority.

In 1991, Col. Lewis was given a lease--reportedly for 50 years--to be Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Moton Field. The move was at the request of the former FBO, the famed Tuskegee Airman flight instructor Alfred "Chief" Anderson. The role of the FBO is to provide services at the airport, such as fueling, maintenance, flight plans and flight instruction. Col. Lewis continues as FBO to this date, but at a recent meeting the Airport Authority decided to look for another FBO. Members say more than one FBO can operate at the airport if there is enough business to support more than one FBO.

After the Airport Authority was formed, it developed a master plan and requested a $26 million grant from the FAA. Owens, president of Aviation Systems & Manufacturing (ASM) and consultant to the Airport Authority, prepared the expansion project and request to FAA. The plan was approved and placed in FAA files, but no action has been taken on the request by the FAA.

A couple of years ago when the new city administration came on board with Williams as mayor, a plan for the GPS system, an updated master plan and a request for repaving the runway and extension to 6,500 feet was requested from the FAA and signed off on by Mayor Williams.

That effort ran into opposition from the Airport Authority. On Sept. 8, 1997, a letter on Macon County Commission letterhead signed by Tuskegee Council President Washington, Macon County Commission Chairman Jesse Upshaw and then Airport Authority Chairman Griffin was sent to the FAA requesting that the Authority's request for the $26 million in improvements be reactivated. That letter, in effect, delayed the request for the $1.4 million plan and GPS system while the FAA attempted to sort out the situation on the requests.

On Nov. 4, 1997, Dr. Eagerton met with several parties, including Mayor Williams and Griffin. In a letter to Mayor Williams dated Dec. 17, 1997, Dr. Eagerton said that from the meeting it was his understanding that the city has full control of the airport and that parties at the meeting were in agreement that the more realistic (ALP)--the city's plan--should proceed and that a request be sent to the FAA to withdraw the let- ter asking to reactivate the $26 million request.

The previous letter signed by Washington and Upshaw was without approval of the full council or commission.

In January of 1998, a second letter was sent to the FAA asking that the second ($1.4 million) plan go forward and that the letter dated Sept. 8, 1997 requesting reactivation of the previous plan be withdrawn. Only Williams and Upshaw signed that letter while Washington and Griffin did not sign off on it. Upshaw said recently he had got caught in the middle and his only agenda was an attempt to get whatever money was available for airport improvements.

During his appearance before the council last week, Dr. Eagerton said that the Department of Aeronautics works in concert with the FAA on requests for the state's 89 airports. He said because the city has the deeds to the airport and that the city has financial standing to back any matching funds from grants, that by law the Department of Aeronautics has to work through the city, not the Airport Authority. The Department of Aeronautics provides 5 percent of the 10 percent of matching funds for FAA monies for state airports. He said the latest request from the city is much more feasible than the Airport Authority's request.

The council has to approve accepting the latest plan which has already been delayed a year because of inaction and the Sept. 8, 1997 letter to the FAA which is seeking clarification of the situation. At present, it appears that Muhammad and Washington won't vote to accept the plan. Councilwoman Mae Doris Williams and Rozell Chappell Jr. are leaning towards accepting the latest project. Councilman Jess Colson appears to be weighing his options.

Dr. Eagerton said as soon as the internal problems are settled within the city, his agency will return and ask once again for acceptance of the $1.4 million plan. Time is now of the essence because funding from the FAA is done in half-year increments, meaning certain items must be done in order for the plan to go forward before March 31, 1999 or the request will have to be carried over.

What can be done?

Members of the Airport Authority, Owens, Mayor Williams, Col. Lewis, Eagerton and Upshaw need to be willing to discuss their positions and roles in the ongoing controversy. Efforts to contact Muhammad after leaving numerous messages were unsuccessful and Washington declined to discuss the matter, stating that there are "too many loose ends.

Money apparently is at hand for improvements at Moton Field. Perhaps it would be best to take what's available now and reactivate the Airport Authority's request at a later date. Airport Authority members say that if the latest plan is funded by the FAA, the Authority's plan would be jeopardized. Of course, there is no certainty that the Airport Authority's plan will be funded at any point in time. If it is, it will probably be at a much lower figure.

As Council President Washington is fond of saying, "We all need to be on the same page in the hymn book. We need to work together.

He's right. Personalities are going to have to be put aside. Thus far, that hasn't happened. Until the parties involved get on the same page, it won't happen. Right now they aren't even in the same hymn book. The losers are the citizens of Tuskegee, the constituency these officials represent. That's wrong, and the citizens should demand more from their representatives.