So, I'm assuming you are referring to the Chairman?
Which puzzles me, then? Apparently we are going to have Leggett vs Carmichael for the Chairman Seat. Unless somebody pops up in the next few days, or is the window now closed?
At any rate, it seems to me to be a tough choice between those two. Leggett was a Post commissioner previously. Seems to me to have been rather undistinguished, merely rubber-stamping all of Shearin's nonsense. And Carmichael seems to have been Austin's only ally.
Now, I know Dave Carmichael personally. Like him very much. I was sitting in his kitchen and he told me that he had "voted against the airport when it first came up, didn't want it then, doesn't really want it now, but since it is there, we better make the best of it". Admittedly, at the time, I was not fully aware of Propeller and all the mess going on. I took his comment to mean he supports having MRO facilities and general aviation, not 139 type operations.
I can say that he seems to me to be one of the most honest, ethical people around. I don't see him as an egomaniac, rather as a long-time resident who isn't happy with the direction things were going and decided to serve. Somewhat in the same mold as Ron Davis.
I have no doubt Dave Carmichael is a good man. Here's where my problems lie.............he was on the airport authority when they started talks about commercialization, the initial talks started in June 2012, the primary in 2012 was in July, the 21st I believe. He ran for post commissioner with this knowledge and never once mentioned it during his campaign. He remained on the airport authority until he took his seat as Commissioner on the second Tuesday in Jan 2013. He was involved in the same things as Tommie Graham. Flying around looking at other airports, seeing what ours "could look like" he voted for the Silver Comet Terminal Partner agreement, never mentioning commercial airliners were on the drawing board. He has voted lock step with David Austin on all airport related votes including turning the airport over to the Airport Authority to prevent newly elected commissioners from touching his pet project. No one on the PCAA or the BOC bothered to check out Propeller Airports because they were told as a private company obtaining that information would subject them to open records requests.
An elected official serves the people, not private companies and the should not keep deals "secret". Once that contract was signed he, the other commissioners and the PCAA had an obligation to let the people know what was going on, deception is not honorable in my book. The taxpayers have sunk over 10 million dollars into that airport that we were promised wouldn't cost us a dime.
I know Ron Davis, he and Carmichael are total opposites. Ron is all about transparency and fiscal responsibility. He has had a web site, about open government for over a year. Yes, they may both be honorable men but no they are not of the same mold.
We don't have to have Part 139 for M R & O and manufacturing. That's a total fabrication and someone with airport knowledge is aware of that, surely Mr. Carmichael knew that. Using part 139 to "create jobs" is as bad as passing taxes "for the kids". The chamber's own report says bringing in commercial service will create 55 FTE jobs. FTE means part time, after all how many baggage handlers, ticket agents or TSA agents are you going to need for 4 flights a week?
Mr. Carmichael was elected to a 4 year term starting on January 1, 2013, he served only 2 years and 9 months of that term before resigning to run for commission chair. They didn't elect him to serve only part of one term. That's an injustice to the residents of Post 1, they have been unrepresented on the BOC for 6 months.
Roger Leggett only served two years with Jerry Shearin. Mr. Leggett's last year was 2002, Shearin was elected the first time in 2000.
I will not be voting for Dave Carmichael. His voting record and support of "secrecy" speak for itself.
Qualifying is next week March 7-11, at least one other candidate has filed a DOI (Declaration of Intent) to run as Commission Chairman. I know nothing about him except he is a tow truck driver.
