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Understanding the Great Falls Airport Controversy (Part 1)
Posted: Feb 21, 2010 8:52 PM by Alex Grubb/KRTV
Updated: Feb 24, 2010 7:19 PM
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- Understanding the Great Falls Airport Controversy (Part 1)
Over the last several months, there's been a lot of controversy over the search for a new director at the Great Falls International Airport.
In October, the Airport Authority Board voted not to renew the contract of airport director Cynthia Schultz, who has held the position for 12 years and expressed no desire to leave.
In January, the board voted to spend over $30,000 to hire a consulting firm from Florida to find potential candidates for a new airport director.
On January 31st, Neighborhood Council One sent a letter to the city and county commissions asking for intervention.
Last week, the board was to address the matter at the City Commission meeting but said it was a personnel issue and they could not talk about it.
KRTV wanted to find out what Cynthia Schultz has accomplished as director and what kind of impact the airport has had on the city of Great Falls.
We asked Schultz to provide numbers on what has happened under her leadership.
Since she came on in 1998, the total assets at the airport have grown from $18.5 million to $113 million; hangar occupancy jumped from 28% to 100%; revenue has almost doubled to $3.7 million; $235,000 had been obtained in discretionary grants from the FAA prior to Schultz's tenure; that figure now stands at $49 million.
And in her first year when FedEx was considering moving their hub to other airports like Helena, Billings, and Spokane, she took action to make sure they stayed; that included getting a runway lighting system that would normally be found at a larger airport like Seattle's SEA-TAC. The system allows planes to land and take off in low visibility conditions.
Air traffic manager Jim Hantz noted, "Cynthia has done something that a lot of other airports around the country and the nation look at Great Falls and said, 'You know, how in the world does Cynthia Schultz get a cat 2-3 ILS in Great Falls?' And so we are kind of the envy of the western states."
Having the FedEx hub here is one of the reasons that businesses like Cable Technology are located in Great Falls.
Cable Technology owner Ed Buttrey explained, "We certainly would not be in town if we didn't have the ability to do the shipments using Fed Ex and the ability to be so accessible to and from our customers."
Schultz has also been instrumental in getting tenants like AvMax and the Department of Homeland Security.
Buttrey continued, "When we're looking at the assets, especially at the airport, we truly, especially for the size of our town, don't have any business having the assets that we have."
Another project Schultz has been instrumental in getting funding for is the Residential Sound Insulation Project. Nearly 10,000 residents in the West Hill area benefit from it. Schultz has been able to obtain $2.7 million for the project, but another $27 million will be needed to finish it.
The project also benefits airport tenants like the Montana Air National Guard because having a noise reduction program in place helps them get newer aircraft.
Seeing how much business is brought in by the airport, it seems clear that Great Falls is flying high above the competition.
Buttrey commented, "Larger communities are probably looking at the airport and looking at Great Falls wondering, how did they pull this off? So that's certainly a testament to what Cynthia and the staff have been able to do. And really if you look at economic development, the airport is the generator of economic development in Great Falls, Montana."
With all that Schultz has accomplished, KRTV has been unable to get any answers as to why the airport board is looking for a new director instead of simply renewing Schultz's contract.
On Monday, in the second part of this story, we'll look at what the airport board has said about the search and why former board chairmen are concerned no real answers have been given.
Hoot at Feb 22nd 2010 12:55 AM
From the outside looking in, it appears that Cynthia Schultz is doing a great job. It also appears that there are some strong political undertones in the decision to not renew her contract. Ed Buttrey was the only board member to vote to continue Schultz?s contract and now Buttrey is no longer a board member. I find it frustrating that the board refuses to discuss the reasoning for their decision and not take into account the wishes of the taxpayer. We may not have control over the board but we do have control, by our vote, over the city and county commission. In these tight economic times, it is frustrating that the board has hired an out of state company for $30,000 to find a potential candidate for a new airport director.
Montana Critic at Feb 22nd 2010 9:49 AM
I agree with Hoot - seems like Schultz has done a great job, so I don't understand why some people seem to be out to replace her. I don't recall any reports of Schultz doing anything wrong.
SureUBet! at Feb 22nd 2010 6:27 PM
This whole situation smells like a pile of fish that's been sitting in the sun for 4 days! You have a director who has worked hard and brought business and jobs to this area in a big way. So for that we "reward" her buy making her reapply for her job. (any bets who's not going to get the job?) Did she make some folks jealous? Did she step on some big wigs toes and upset them?
Is there any real wrong doing here by Ms Schultz? (I doubt it) If her Board wants to be more active in what is going on then they need to have meeting more often and be more hands on.
Ms Schultz has been a good leader....my advice to the Airport Board is to get out of her way and follow her lead.
Botella at Feb 22nd 2010 11:51 PM
I do not understand what has happened to Cynthia Schultz. My husband and I have been involved with airports and the airline industry for 55 years. Someone has a very bad vendetta against her. Why? Is it the green-eyed monster? Get rid of the ignorant board people that have their head in the sand and keep Schultz. She has been a very good administrator. I do not know Schultz but I know she should be kept on. She has done a marvelous job. Bo
dernhelm1 at Feb 23rd 2010 7:14 AM
Ms. Schultz has obviously done some things wrong that are serious enough for her removal. The board can not comment publicly until this issue is resolved for legal reasons. I have background in government and aviation. The comments in this article seem to be nothing but a fluff piece being used to stir up unnecessary controversy.