Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
City commission deadlocks on appointment to joint airport board after public debate over conflict of interest
Loading...
Summary
After extensive public comment and debate about qualifications and potential conflicts, the Livingston City Commission failed to appoint a candidate to the city’s seat on the joint city–county airport board; two separate motions (one for Andrew Stone, one for Colin Davis) failed to win a majority and staff will seek additional applicants.
The Livingston City Commission on April 21 considered two applicants for the city’s vacant seat on the joint city–county airport board but twice failed to secure a majority for either candidate, leaving the seat open.
City Manager Grant Gager returned the item after staff reviewed two applications and recommended Colin Davis, noting Davis does not appear to have business entanglements with the airport. Gager said the prior city appointee had been removed in November 2025, the vacancy was advertised, and that city staff had later recruited Davis when few applications had been received.
Public commenters gave sharply different perspectives. A longtime former airport board member and several speakers urged the commission to appoint Andrew Stone, arguing his aviation experience and local knowledge would help the board manage tight budgets and complex airport operations. Rebecca Heenstra of NeighborWorks Montana and owners from the ViewVista community urged deliberation but emphasized community priorities for stability and safety.
Commissioners debated two core issues: whether aviation experience mattered more than avoiding a direct financial conflict, and whether the application process reached the city manager in a timely way. Several commissioners said Stone appears highly qualified but noted Stone runs a flight school and other airport-related businesses that could be directly affected by landing fees and lease terms; those same concerns led some commissioners to say any appointee with business ties should recuse from votes that directly affect their own finances.
Motion 1: a motion to appoint Andrew Stone carried two votes for and two against and therefore did not reach the majority required under the Livingston Municipal Code. Motion 2: a subsequent motion to appoint Colin Davis likewise failed to earn a majority. After the second failed motion, Gager said staff would solicit additional applicants and reschedule the item when a sufficient pool exists.
The commission deliberated publicly for roughly an hour, heard multiple residents and past board members explain the practical and financial challenges of running the airport, and discussed whether the city’s current appointment process should be clarified so applications submitted to the airport board and to city hall are handled consistently. There was no final appointment and no change to airport fees or board policy at the meeting.
