Airport board under review

Claire Taylor

Two representatives from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office are expected to visit Lafayette Regional Airport next week in the wake of reports about questionable spending on meals and travel.

Robbie Robinson, first assistant legislative auditor, said Wednesday two of his staff will attend the Airport Commission's regular meeting Nov. 2.
Jason Devillier, deputy director of aviation, said Wednesday the Airport Commission and staff will not comment until the Legislative Auditor's visit next week.

Director of Aviation Greg Roberts was out of town and not available Wednesday, a secretary said.

On Oct. 19, The Daily Advertiser published the results of an investigation that showed the Airport Commission and staff often has used public money to cover high-priced meals for commissioners and employees.

The airport is funded in part with a property tax paid by Lafayette Parish property owners.

Charged to taxpayers were expenses such as a $2,487 Christmas party, a $600 dinner at Café Vermilionville and $99 for roses and a flower bouquet for a departing employee.

Some of the meals followed Airport Commission meetings and were attended by a quorum of commissioners. Handwritten on the receipts is who attended and the type of airport business discussed, raising questions about violations of the state open-meetings law.

The day after that story was published, Robinson said, "Based on what was in the story and the responses of the director, we are interested."
Meanwhile, a coalition of concerned citizens spent three days this month investigating the airport's spending - dating as far back as 2004.

On Tuesday, the citizens hand delivered their results, a six-inch stack of documents, to the Louisiana attorney general, District Attorney Mike Harson and others. The documents also were mailed to the legislative auditor, said Denice Skinner, one of the citizens and a member of the Republican Party Lafayette Parish Executive Committee.
They found that taxpayers:

  • Paid $2,219 in January 2005 for Airport Commissioner Dr. Charles Wyatt to fuel his private airplane to fly to Washington, D.C., park it in a hangar and for his room, meals and rental car to meet with the local congressional delegation and Gov. Blanco the same week as the Washington Mardi Gras ball. 
  • Paid Wyatt $168 in October 2005 for fuel for his private plane to promote the Lafayette Regional Airport at the Little League World Series.
  • Paid $1,419 to Academy Sports in December and $1,795 to Bell's Sporting Goods on the same date for workout equipment.
  • Paid $602 to Sam's Club for a martini set, two wine gift sets, luggage, golf coolers, CDs, aluminum chairs and more.
  • Spent $408 for a meal at Maximo's Italian Grill on Decatur Street in New Orleans in March 2005 with City-Parish President Joey Durel, Assessor Conrad Comeaux, CPA Allan Hebert and Roberts to discuss "LAC appointments, jet bridges, air service, airport improvements and airport grants."
  • Purchased 10 airline tickets to Las Vegas and 10 rooms in Las Vegas.
  • Paid for four flights, each at $445, in June 2004 with notes stating Acadiana delegation, Nova Scotia and GR (Greg Roberts) and Ms. Burley (Commissioner Brenda Burley).
  • Also in June 2004, covered room charges at the Las Vegas Hilton for $579, $531, $389, $264 and $122 for Roberts and commissioners.
  • Paid for rooms at Delta Barrington Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia: $1,040, $850.
  • Spent $108 in August 2004 for a meal between Roberts and his wife and Durel and his wife to discuss various airport issues.
  • Covered November 2004 charges in Las Vegas, including Comedy Stop, $39.90; Tropicana-Savanna, $115; Harrah's Hotels and Casino, $19.50; Vegas.com ticketing, $69.55; and Flamingo Hotel, $67.89.
    Robinson said the Legislative Auditor's Office will try to address at next week's Airport Commission meeting the issues that have been raised. Both the Airport Commission and citizens are ready to provide information, he said.
    "We'll go from there," he said. "We're going to try to evaluate the information and decide whether to commit resources to review the situation."
    Robinson added the Legislative Auditor's Office "is trying to be fair to both sides."
    The Airport Commission is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in the second floor meeting room of the airport. The meeting is open to the public.

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