Update-More Digging
I have obtained additional information about what I am learning was the Airport Staff’s unilateral decision to provide one local business with free advertising.
First, Airport Authority member Jeff Mangan:
The Benefis banner mentioned in your article was never discussed, much less approved by the Authority’s board. I am unaware of any contract or compensation for displaying the banner. I will make inquires of the staff and Chairman regarding the display. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention.
Jeff Mangan
GFIAA Commissioner
Then, I spoke briefly with Susan Humble, an Airport Authority member who is also on the Board of Directors of Benefis Healthcare. Ms. Humble assured me that she did not have any input into the decision to hang a Benefis banner at the Airport. She indicated that she was not consulted individually or as an Airport Authority member about the decision to place the banner at the Airport, apparently free of charge.
I have received some anonymous information that Cynthia Schultz, the Airport Director, volunteered to place the Benefis advertisement at the Airport free of charge. I am still trying to verify this. If true, I guess I have to wonder how a public employee is given the authority to make a decision to give away the use of public property.
Mr. Mangan’s response makes me wonder about another issue. Obviously, professional help was required to hang the banner given its size. Did Airport employees, paid for by your tax dollars (and the tax dollars of Benefis’ competitors) hang the advertisement for free?
Cynthia Schultz should have been fired long ago for her incompetence, and if she had we wouldn’t have to waste time today dealing with another reason why she is not fit for her job. Come on Airport Authority Board, you are her boss, yet over and over again she acts incompetently (readers here may not know of the many instances, most of which are more egrigous and harmful than this banner incident, but not made public due to Cynthia’s scorched earth methods of squelching opposition, but the board members do) and over and over again you do nothing. When will it be enough for you to act?
I’m still wondering why the airport decided to kick out the little bus station that was up there. It was a great location for bus people. A warm place to wait for the bus, etc. Guess that bus people aren’t the type of clientele that ms. shcultz wants around! Hey, wait a minute. I’M a bus person occassionally!