Jackson Jambalaya

Pretty pathetic but not surprising. Birmingham's airport was very similar to Jackson's 5 years ago, but they made some tremendous upgrades in the last few years. Typically, I am against overreach by a larger gov't body, but in this case it seems necessary for the betterment of the Jackson metro area and the state of MS.

This is why Jackson is failing. Very few people with any authority are qualified to run a McDonald's, much less a city. I'd put our current mayor in that category as well.

It would seem that phoney Tony could replace sevetal members by appointment. How do we replace the current JMAA board members?

The terms were staggered to prevent what did take place. Terms don't expire at the same time. Similar to the MDE Board. Harvey never got around to replacing them so Chokwe had a unique opportunity to remake the board in one day. What was he supposed to do, not appoint replacements?

Elections have consequences.

Looking at the lists of other airports and having spent time travelling through them, I think there's something to be said for having members on a board who don't fly first class, or have a corporate jet or personal jet at their disposal.
While I agree that board members shouldn't be chosen on a political basis, these airports are hardly great models.
I want someone on a board with a lot of flying miles as a passenger in coach as well!
When I fly with my husband, flying is wonderful. I'm never bumped and always have a seat assignment, my luggage gets there and the gate person is always helpful. Unfortunately, if I'm travelling alone, his privileges don't extend to me. Nor can I use his club membership.
You'd think a spouse could be added at a discount, but that is not the case and I don't fly without him often enough to justify full price.
I want someone on the board who is consumer oriented!
It is a myth that a successful business person actually knows everything there is to know about running everything! They may just be good at making a widget and then hiring smart people after the widget is in demand! And, I know more than a few business owner's of large corporations who simply inherited enough company stock from Daddy to maintain control but are hardly geniuses!

Do members of the Airport Board receive any form of compensation?

8:30 +1

That is the Ms. way. Can you name anyone on any board in the whole state of Ms. that were picked because of their knowledge or experience? That is the main reason Ms. is always in last place, except for STDs Can't really blame it on the board members. It is the fault of who we elect to office. Elect crap expect crap out of them.

At 8:30 just pay like the rest of us do. I promise you will be o.k..

@8:30 you seem to understand the business about as well as the current board.

The point is we should use the airport to drive economic development. The board should be capable of attracting industrial/commercial tenants and carriers, as well as obtaining and retaining passenger carriers. The focus should be on dealing with other businesses.

It's not like the airport board has much to do with the passenger experience on any given airline anyway (including your specific concerns about being bumped and upgraded).

8:30 is correct. The board is to be representative of the community. Not of the airline industry. And those other boards are every bit as political as the Jackson Board.

There is no connection between being a successful businessperson or pilot and serving on a public board. The airport is run by the management, not the board. The board does need the expertise to provide oversight, and I see nothing about the existing board that says they can't.

Let me make a guess, if Harkin's proposal is passed, the new board will be filled by older, white, rich, male, Republicans. Surely, that represents the interests of average Mississippians. New contracts will be awarded to highly connected firms who are already feeding at the public trough. They will just be white, rather than black.

Ah, the Mississippi Way- appoint people who know nothing about anything to board instead of people who might have some expertise on the subject at hand.

You know, like the people who oppose putting financial planners or analysts on the PERS board even as non-voting members.

When all else fails to keep your cronies in power, scream racism. If you think they're not qualified, you are automatically racist.

I didn't approve your comment because that was an old picture of that city's board and some of those members are no longer members.

ALL OF THEM ARE CROOKS.

11:06, Kingfish, what the board is , who is elected to fill the board, or who chose the board members, it would be nice if they knew a little something about what they are on the board of.
Why have non-voting members on any board? Just cluttering up the place.

The Board is in charge of two airports. General Aviation in Jackson has been neglected for years. It is not all about airlines. Many corporations and people use private aircraft to do business. The board has not on pilot on it. Not one has any relation to general aviation that is a billion dollar business in Mississippi. Evers Field is hostile to General Aviation. Under Vanderleest he wanted GA out of the airport while totally neglecting Hawkins Field. Only one fixed base operator ( they service and fuel GA airplanes) on both airports. There use to be three at Hawkins. It is a disgrace the way the airports in Jackson are being run!

Need more nurses to serve on more of Jackson's boards like this. If anybody knows how to do an outstanding job, while dealing with complete bullshit, it's nurses.

"...elections have consequences", "...who is elected to be on the board". Why even allow these comments. If you think these are elected positions, you don't belong in this conversation.

Additionally; If this board has no impact on 'managing the airport', what the hell is its reason for existence? Their travel budget alone is a perk that out-distances the perks of most boards in this state.

5:27, who do you think makes the decision on who is going to be on these boards?

5:27 - elections have consequences. Elections determine who appoints and confirms the members of these boards.

Agree with you though that the board does have some impact on management of the airport, and that's the problem. You can have a good general manager, but if the board is only interested in their perks and contracts for their buddies, the airport is stuck in neutral when it should be in overdrive.

And BTW @2:06 - if you want to go open another FBO at either airport, I'm sure they will lease you the space. I think the FBO at Hawkins is crappy, but there isn't business enough to support a second, much less a third like in the 70's and 80's. GA business has changed dramatically since those days (thank you Jimmy Carter, for driving all the aircraft manufacturers out of business) due to fewer and more expensive private aircraft.

But go ahead and see if it is the airport board that is the reason for only one FBO - offer to lease the space and open up your business.

One of the consequences of being elected should be not being re-elected if you can't do the job ! The job is to make government work best for the citizens, not to feather your own political, social or financial nest!

That some of you accept cronyism as a part of politics rather than a reason to kick someone's ass out of elected office is the problem!

10:50 am you are very narrow minded and don't understand how economic development is evolving in the electronic age if you think an airport is only to drive economic development and has nothing to do with transportation of people as well.

The expertise, or lack thereof, of the board is certainly an issue. Conspicuously absent to the question of whether the State should take over the airport is just how the State would operate differently from the City. Yes, the board would be seated by the Governor but how would the day-to-day operations be different? If it's a question of air service, how would the State convince other airlines that flying to Jackson would be profitable? Commenters have complained about fares, so would the State use taxpayer funds to subsidize the fares? If no one answers these questions, the effort appears to be a suburban power-grab where it's your cronies vs. my cronies. Good citizens should be more skeptical.

I have to completely agree with 7:53 am.

Dear 9:12 . I tried to build a hangar at Hawkins some time ago and also was invited to build T hangars. They wanted a huge price for the lease and you pay taxes on the building , then after 10 years they wanted you to deed your building to the city. I am not nuts so that went away. As far as a FBO , they set requirements so expensive that only one can survive. Until they get realistic about what an airport is pilots will continue to fill Madison and Raymond airports. The board and the management is the reason there is not enough business at either airport to support but one FBO. Why would a pilot want to pay $4.61 a gallon for Fuel at Hawkins or $5.87 at Evers when at Madison they can buy to same fuel for $3.85 or $3.70 at Raymond? Until you get some knowledgeable people on the board and get real there is never going to be a great GA presence in Jackson and that is a billion dollar business in Mississippi.

The real question here isn't about the airport but its really about Fondren. When is fondren going to try and breakaway from jackson and become its own city??? ITS COMING!

Y'ALL TYPE IN THE NAME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, SEE WHO FILED BANKRUPTCY....SMH

Dang, Pridgen filed bankruptcy, are you kidding me??!!