Illinois Valley News

Frustrated by what they see as a lack of communication, a majority of the Illinois Valley Airport Advisory Board OK“d a vote of “no-confidence“ in the way that Josephine County Airports Manager Alex Grossi has handled a fence project.

The advisory board met at the airport Monday evening, June 28. and a proposed fence project at the site was among topics.

Ed Russell said that he and his fellow board members have yet to see the Airport Layout Plan (ALP). Dave Bassett, also a board member, said that the situation is a “little troubling,“ and that he would like a “clear understanding“ of what“s going on with the fence.

Speaking from the audience, Roger Brandt said that he“s spent the past two years trying to find out where the fence is going to be located.

“We never got a single response from the airport manager,“ Brandt said.

He said that the fence issue has “been thrown at us. All we“re doing is fixing Alex“s problems,“ he stated.

A project to build a smokejumper museum at the site was excluded from the ALP, Brandt said. The ALP Advisory Board, hand-picked by Grossi, Brandt added, did not hold public hearings.

“This is not community input,“ Brandt said. “Alex is trying to sell this as public opinion, but it“s not.“

Board Chairman Keith Hill said that having a perimeter fence around the airport is an “excellent idea,“ but that many airport tenants and users object to plans to build an internal fence.

Josephine County Commissioner Sandi Cassanelli, county commission liaison, said that communication has not been open between the county and the airport tenants and advisory board members.

Kenny Houck, who serves as vice chairman for the advisory board, moved for the no-confidence vote against Grossi. He said that his main objection is how the fence project was managed. His motion included the suggestion that the board of county commissioners appoint a replacement for Grossi to follow the project through to completion.

“The process of managing this project has completely broken down,“ Houck asserted.

But Bassett expressed his reluctance at such a step.

“I don“t want to go into personnel matters,“ he said, adding that being airport manager is “not a simple job.“

Bassett pointed out that Grossi is ill and it“s anticipated that he“ll be on leave for the next several weeks.

“I am opposed to kicking someone when they“re down,“ Bassett said. “This is not the time.“

Russell seconded the motion.

Gary Buck, an alternate board member, said that everything about the interior fence is bad for the smokejumper museum project. He said that 1,800 volunteer hours recently were spent on refurbishing airport facilities for the museum.

While volunteers were doing the work, Buck said, a contractor for the fence project showed up and asked them to move so that fence measurements could be taken.

Buck said that the ALP should have been approved prior to the fence project going out to bid. He added that the smokejumper group could build a better fence than the contractors.

Cassanelli is not to blame for the problems, Buck said, and took a swipe at Commissioners Dwight Ellis and Dave Toler.

“Dwight and Dave are screwing up here,“ Buck said. “They“re not managing the manager.“

Houck“s motion passed 5-2, with Bassett and Steve Lyons dissenting.

In a separate vote, the board unanimously agreed to proceed with the perimeter fence, but suspend construction of the interior fence pending review of the ALP.

We want to hear from you!
Add your thoughts with the link below.

Comments returning soon!

Back to top of story