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Local applicant protests airport FBO process; urges council to delay action and form review panel
Summary
A local applicant told the St. Joseph City Council it had won earlier airport‑commission votes for the Rosecrans FBO but was later excluded; the speaker asked the council to table action on the FBO lease (bill 31) and form a review commission so all four applicants can present.
A local applicant urged the St. Joseph City Council to delay action on a proposed fixed‑base operator (FBO) lease at Rosecrans Memorial Airport and to form a review panel so all applicants can present directly to council.
Stephen Craig of 1 Country Club Road told the council his group submitted an application on time, presented to the airport commission and was selected first in the commission vote. Craig said that after the recommendation was forwarded to city staff, the public‑works director requested changes and the airport commission chair was replaced; after a second commission review Craig said his group again finished first. He told council he was never given an opportunity to present to a later review group while another applicant, Apex, did receive a presentation opportunity.
"I'd asked the city council set up a separate commission. First table tonight's vote, set up a separate commission and make it up with 3 council members so that the council is aware of what's going on," Craig said. He asked that the commission include three airport‑advisory‑commission members and three members of the St. Joseph business community (with an expectation that the Chamber of Commerce might be included). He also asked that each of the four applicants be allowed to present to that group.
The council had listed an ordinance for first reading authorizing a lease and operation agreement with Apex Area Center STJ LLC for fixed‑base operator services at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, but the ordinance remained at first reading status during this meeting and no final council vote on the FBO lease was recorded.
Craig asked the council to table any final action until the proposed ad hoc review occurs; he said his firm would accept the result of a transparent process in which every applicant can present. The transcript records Craig's account of commission votes and staffing changes; no city official responded to every detail of Craig's allegations during the public comment period and the matter remained unresolved by the close of the meeting.
