Council debates governance options and calls for stakeholder audit and engagement

Council members debated how governance changes could bridge a perceived divide between pilots and residents and make the airport more accountable and transparent. One councilmember said the city should assess whether an authority, an updated Airport Advisory Board, or another governance structure would better serve residents and airport users and recommended greater council participation in key stakeholder meetings.

Multiple members said the council should first undertake an audit or stakeholder survey to identify specific problems before endorsing a governance change. "I think we need to have an audit, and I don't know how we can come about that. But I think we first need to identify all of the issues that everybody is having ... so we can figure out what's our next steps," one councilmember said. The council asked staff to present options for stakeholder engagement, and members proposed a half-day retreat or a series of pre-sessions to develop consensus around a preferred governance path.