Commission postpones airport-board appointment after late application and conflict concerns

The Livingston City Commission did not act April 7 on the recommended appointment of Colon Davis to the city-county airport board after commissioners asked staff for more information and requested to review both applications submitted for the seat.

City Manager Mr. Gager told the commission a second application had arrived late to city staff and, after review, he believed that applicant — an owner-operator of a business located at the airport — presented a potential conflict of interest for a board seat that approves leases and rental contracts at the airport. “I can see some potential conflicts of interest that could arise in a board member approving rental contracts and lease contracts at the airport,” Mr. Gager said, explaining why the application had come to his attention after the packet was published.

Commissioner O’Neal and others said they wanted to see the full applications and a written list of potential conflicts before taking a vote. Commissioner O’Neal asked staff to include an explicit conflict-of-interest analysis when the item returns. The commission agreed to postponement and staff said they would re-agendize the appointment after providing both applications and a conflicts review; no vote was taken on the appointment at this meeting.

The commission approved other appointments on the consent agenda (Donna Streer to the Historic Preservation Commission and Matt Whitman to an urban renewal board seat determined by the county), and commissioners requested greater transparency on the application process going forward.