Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Ky. judge executives talk about CVG controversies and the one member who’s “out to blow up the airport board”

Ky. judge executives talk about CVG controversies and the one member who’s “out to blow up the airport board”

Sep 30, 2014, 4:53pm EDT
The Kenton County Airport Board was the hot topic of conversation at the State of Northern Kentucky address on Tuesday.
Managing Editor- Cincinnati Business Courier
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The first question out of the gate at Tuesday’s State of Northern Kentucky address was about that ever-lively topic in the region: the Kenton County Airport Board.
New Northern Kentucky Chamber President Trey Grayson asked a panel of Northern Kentucky’s three judge executives, Steve Pendery of Campbell County, Gary Moore of Boone County, and Steve Arlinghaus of Kenton County, to comment on recent recommendations for change at the board, which has been rocked by revelations of excessive spending and improprieties.
Both Pendery and Moore called for change to how the board is structured, eliminating the two tiers of membership: voting and nonvoting. And both called for more transparency in the appointment process.
“When we talk about an entity that is so vital to economic development in the region as a whole in many ways, it does need to be a broader makeup of appointments and where they come from,” said Moore.
That set up Kenton County’s Steve Arlinghaus to defend the appointments he has made to the board, as well as single out a rogue member who he says has “vowed to blow up the airport board.”
“There is one board member who has made this board classified as ‘dysfunctional,’ one who asked to be appointed a voting member instead of advisory member and I refused,” he said, further identifying the member as one that was appointed not by him but by the governor of Kentucky.
That points the finger at Nathan Smith, the Fort Mitchell resident and owner of SK Communities who was appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear.
In a report by the River Cities News, Smith, who has been an outspoken critic on the topic, said he never asked Arlinghaus to be a voting member on the board.
Arlinghaus wrapped up his comments about the airport by saying that many years ago Kenton County stepped up and took the risk associated with developing the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport.
“Cincinnati chose not to support a bond issue for the airport ... Nobody wants to buy an interest in the airport, but they want the benefits. The only thing Kenton County receives is the ability to appoint board members and say we own it.
“So if you want to trade 20 percent of payroll taxes for a couple of seats, then I am for it.”
Benson manages day-to-day operations of print and web products

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