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Airport tuition payment draws scrutiny after county staff say employee was told no
Summary
Committee members questioned use of airport authority funds to pay tuition for an airport employee's master's program after staff said the employee was previously told not to pursue county-funded tuition; members asked for airport minutes, purchase orders and clarification of authority before deciding on reappropriation.
Committee members on April 23 pressed for documents and clarity after discovering the Logan-Cache Airport Authority had approved using an airport budget line for tuition for Robert (Bob) Lowe’s master’s in aviation science.
Matthew Funk explained a purchase-order rollover request tied to airport funds and that an attached letter said the Logan-Cache Airport Authority had approved payment to Utah State University from a budget line titled "education and training." Several committee members said county staff had previously told Lowe not to proceed with county-paid tuition and asked whether the airport board had the authority to repurpose funds.
"He was told no," one member said; others asked to see airport-board minutes and the purchase order details. Funk and staff reported a partial payment had already been made (around $33,100) and that remaining requested appropriation was about $16,700 to cover the remainder of the PO. Members questioned whether the county had approved this in prior budgets, whether the expense fit the FAA Part 139 certification rationale originally cited, and whether payment occurred during work hours.
The committee asked staff to contact the airport authority and produce meeting minutes and the PO documentation. Members flagged two distinct issues: (1) whether the authority had the right to use airport funds for tuition, and (2) whether county employees used work time for coursework without policy in place.
Outcome: The airport tuition reappropriation was held for follow-up; staff will obtain board minutes, PO details and further clarifications for the committee before any appropriation is approved.
