Burbank Airport Commissioner Is Fired

BURBANK â€”  Burbank Airport Commissioner John Flynn, who reversed his position on a key airport issue, has been fired by the Burbank City Council.

The council late Tuesday voted 3 to 2 to dump Flynn, following his vote against seeking competitive bids for the contract to manage the airport.

“He was the wrong choice,� said Ted McConkey, one of three council members who voted to fire Flynn.

McConkey said Flynn has “no aptitude, experience or even any interest in the job.�

Flynn, a retired KNBC-TV reporter who has served as an airport commissioner for three months, expressed frustration.

“When I was a reluctant volunteer last August [for the commission seat], some City Council members said they just want a ‘reasonable’ person,’ “‘ Flynn said. “Now it appears there was a change in philosophy.�

Flynn, who appeared briefly before the vote, said he felt like “a person lecturing before a firing squad on how to shoot straight.�

Flynn, one of the city’s three representatives on the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, was the only Burbank representative to vote against seeking bids.

The issue was drawn into the divisive controversy over expansion of Burbank Airport. A majority of commissioners want more gates, but city officials have opposed their plan, citing concerns over noise and traffic.

Flynn’s ouster followed more than a hour of comments by residents who nearly all cited Flynn as a nice man not up to the task of deciding on complex airport issues.

Flynn had voted last month, along with five other airport commissioners, to enter into exclusive negotiations with Airport Group International--which has managed the airport for 20 years--to renew its contract. That freed AGI from having to compete in an open bidding process with other management firms.

Three airport commissioners voted to seek bids at the Nov. 17 Airport Authority meeting.

Councilwoman Stacey Murphy said Flynn’s decision revealed him to be out of touch with the “philosophies of Burbank.�

Those philosophies include seeking the best possible deal and saving money, she said. While Murphy said the vote to fire Flynn should not be considered as retribution for his vote, she said his vote was indicative of his failing to understand the issues at Burbank Airport.

Bill Wiggins, one of two council members favoring Flynn’s retention, said 90 days on the job is not long enough to judge Flynn’s performance. Wiggins, however, said Flynn’s decision to vote against seeking bids was wrong.

“It doesn’t hurt to get a second or third bid,� he said. “You don’t have to change [management firms], but why not take a look at other proposals at least. That vote should have been nine to zero in favor of seeking bids.�