Turbulence At City Hall: Who Will Run The Camdenton Airport?

CAMDENTON, Mo. — The battle for control over the Camdenton airport continues, and elected officials and city staff are taking sides.

The City has been considering bringing management of the airport in-house, after contracting with Lake Aviation Center for nearly two decades.

The City Board of Aldermen was split 3-3 in a vote over the issue on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The motion on the table was to continue contracting Lake Aviation Services. Aldermen Don Neuharth, Daniel Ousley and Eric Faes voted in favor. Aldermen Brenda Weir, Sandy Gentry and Mark Anderson voted against. With the board deadlocked, Mayor John McNabb broke the tie by voting against the motion.

At that meeting there were multiple citizens that questioned whether the city had employees with the specialized aviation experience and training required. They also praised Lake Aviation Center's Corey Leuwerke, who has managed the airport for 19 years. They credited Leuwerke's aviation knowledge, work ethic, ability to obtain grants and industry contacts with contributing to the airport's growth and success.

But Camdenton City Administrator Jeff Hooker said the reason for bringing airport operations under city management was financial. According to Hooker, the city has been supplementing work at the airport annually through another city department's budget while not receiving most of the profits generated by airport operations.

“The city needs to run the airport to assume the profits for the purpose of being self-sustaining,” Hooker stated. Under city management, revenue generated through airport operations could be used to offset the costs of operating and maintaining the facility.

Then on Oct. 6, Alderman Ousley raised concerns that an allegedly “unauthorized” committee had quietly been formed to renegotiate terms with Lake Aviation Center behind closed doors, claiming the committee bypassed the official oversight of the BOA. Ousley expressed strong backing for Lake Aviation Center and lamented that despite receiving dozens of letters from pilots and community members urging the city to maintain privatized management, the City was considering changing the arrangement.

At the Oct. 6 meeting, the board approved appointing Josh Slack as interim manager of the Camdenton Memorial Lake Regional Airport. BOA board members Weir, Gentry, Neuharth, and Faes voted to approve the appointment of Slack to the position. Ousley was the lone no vote; board member Mark Anderson was absent. Slack will assist in the transition and coordination of airport operation services until a permanent candidate is hired, or solution is found.

Then, at the board's Tuesday, Oct. 20 meeting, Aldermen Neuharth and Anderson addressed Ousley's concerns and claims. They said the purpose of the group with which Ousley had taken issue was to bring together both sides so that a short-term resolution could be reached that would mutually benefit the city and Lake Aviation Center.

At that meeting Alderman Anderson made a motion — seconded by Neuharth — to authorize proceeding with negotiations with Lake Aviation Center concerning the operation of the Camdenton Memorial Lake Regional Airport with any proposed agreement to be presented to the BOA for review and approval. Discussion followed. All those present voted in favor of the motion. Alderman Eric Faes was absent.

The next meeting of the Camdenton Board of Aldermen is scheduled for 5:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Camdenton City Hall.