Catching up on things, as I was out of town over the weekend.
City Council member Michael Barnes is upset that Shawn Dorsch, who chairs the airport advisory committee, sent out an e-mail backing an independent authority:
“We’ve learned that there are a lot of people, who we thought were working with us, who are working against us,” Barnes told WCNC-TV. “It is very disappointing that the chair of the airport advisory board, a body that is appointed by the council, is engaged in essentially providing talking points to folks who are trying to take the airport away from Charlotte”
Barnes is completely missing the point. The existing airport authority just rubber stamps whatever Jerry Orr wants. I have read the committee’s minutes for the past 8 years and literally can’t think of a case of a “nay’ vote ever. In other words, they are members of the Cult of Jerry Orr, those who consider Orr all-wise on all aviation matters. And the move to create a regional airport authority is spearheaded by more members of the Cult of Jerry Orr. So it should come as no surprise that Dorsch would favor an independent authority.
Oh, and Dorsch’s other tie to the airport? He’s executive director of the Carolinas Aviation Museum…
