At least temporarily, the Friedman Memorial Airport Authority has put on hold deciding whether to adopt the recommended structure of a new authority to govern Friedman's planned replacement airfield.
The board decided Tuesday night to delay until its June 2 meeting a vote on whether to approve the five-member authority proposed by the Blue Ribbon Commission that studied ways to manage a new airport. The original plan would nominate a new member from the general aviation community, one each from the three Blaine County Commission districts and one member appointed by the County Commission.
Instead, the FMAA also will consider a surprise "hybrid" approach outlined by Denver aviation attorney Peter Kirsch, special Friedman legal counsel. The board agreed it needed more time to consider Kirsch's suggestions.
Kirsch compared the Blue Ribbon Commission's plans to create a new standby governing board without any power and waiting to take over a new airport to the role of Britain's Prince Charles, who's waiting to take over as king and has "nothing to do." Kirsch said a powerless board standing in the wings would have the opportunity to "create a lot of mischief."
Instead, Kirsch outlined what he called "hybrid" approaches that would bring in new appointees on a staggered schedule and similarly allow current members of the FMAA to drop out of office one at a time. He said the timing and actual method could be worked out.
Kirsch said the joint powers agreement between the city of Hailey and Blaine County that created the present five-member board would need to be amended.
"A lot of decisions have to be made" about the new airport, Kirsch said, which involve planning, site acquisition, construction, financing, disposition of the present airport and much more. He said when the Federal Aviation Administration issues a Record of Decision document recommending a new airport site, the airport authority "should be ready to put a shovel in the ground" to begin construction.
A site-selection committee identified a site in southern Blaine County as a preferred location for the new airport but the FAA will make the final decision.
Kirsch warned against a long transition from the present governing body to a new one, and counseled that a "flip-the-switch" changeover would not be wise.
A Blue Ribbon Commission member attending the meeting, Ketchum City Councilman Charles Conn, who has advocated more representation for northern Wood River Valley interests, said he would like a new authority to be seated sooner rather than later.
Conn also suggested a new board should include "folks who have strong construction and site selection experience."
A longtime observer of FMAA meetings and proponent of a new airport, Pepin Corso-Harris, said the new board should include "people currently involved in critical decisions" of a new airport.
Friedman records show that the current board has made decisions over the past three years involving construction projects costing some $11.8 million, including major reconstruction of the runway, terminal modifications, a new parking apron and a large equipment maintenance building.
