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Airport Board member calls for audit
Posted On 04 Dec 2013
A member of the Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport Board of Directors is formally calling for a full audit into the finances and management of the airport — a request the board is likely to address, among other pressing issues, at its upcoming monthly meeting Thursday.
In a letter to board chairman Tim Mays dated Nov. 20, board member Michael Colegrove asks for the audit to determine if the past “business of the Williamsburg/Whitley County Airport has been conducted in an appropriate manner.”
“I recommend that a complete audit of all financial activities of the Williamsburg/Whitley County Airport be carried out and if necessary an investigation be launched to determine if there has been a failure on the part of past airport management and board leadership to carry out required fiduciary responsibilities,” Colegrove writes in the letter.
Colegrove, who is a pilot and also serves as Vice President of Student Services at the University of the Cumberlands, resigned from the board in June 2012, citing a lack of communication from board leadership regarding financial dealings with banks, status of a loan to build T-hangers at the airport, hiring of a manager for the facility, safety issues, and ongoing maintenance concerns.
Colegrove was convinced to rejoin the board and even served as its chairman for a short time following the departure of former chairman, and airport manager, Keith Brashear.
“I just want to shed some light on the situation,” Colegrove said during a recent interview. “Sunlight is a great disinfectant … I think we need to know exactly where we are and what’s transpired.”
Board members have openly questioned activities of the board under former chairman Keith Brashear. They have cited a lack of communication between Brashear and board members as a key issue.
In October, the board revealed a bevy of financial and maintenance issues that had reached a boiling point.
A Tennessee bank that has made two significant loans to the airport was threatening foreclosure action on the facility. And fears that the airport’s most lucrative tenant, Air Evac Lifeteam, might pull out over long-standing maintenance complaints that have been raised.
In May 2012, Colegrove wrote to Brashear asking specific questions about loans, safety issues and Air Evac, but no response was forthcoming.
The board is about half comprised of relatively new members who have set about in an effort to right the ship, but are struggling with financial realities. After dismissing former bookkeeper Rebecca Steely in Oct., the board’s new bookkeeper, Don Stricklin, noted that the airport has a negative monthly cash flow of around $2,300. In 2012, the airport had a net operating loss of $78,017.
Colegrove said he’s realistic about the prospects of paying for an in depth audit while the airport is in dire financial straights.
“I know it will require some expenditure of resources to get something like that done. That’s another thing we need to seriously take into account,” he said. “I just think it is time for us to exercise our responsibility to make sure we are good stewards of the resources we are given.”
The board will meet in regular session Thursday in the airports general meeting room at 6:00 p.m.
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If its not WHS football or Ky Wildcats its not all that impotent to any of us well educated hillbillies.
Ousens could care lest about unimpotent issues like Sheriff Hodge, Atty. Ron Reynolds, drugs, money from tax payers, 911 office with all the police officers quieting. The welfare of our county what’s that? The only thing Bubba, Lou Lou and I now about welfare is we get one of them things. Go big blue! That man Adam put my family out of work. We ant worken no more cause him. If you can’t give a few pills to the Sheriff so you can sell a few pills to our childens just what the heck is wrong with this county? Now that was one of the only ways we had maken a liven. Adam thinks he can clean up this county well you only gave a few more higher positions. Good old boys like me need to get rid of people like Adam. Somedum wrong with this man he whats things done right. I made my liven selling a few pills and he help put me out of a job. Now as good old Whitleycoutians we don’t need this guy around here. If we don’t get rid of him hes liable to stop the corruptions and drug dealin that could destroy this county.
Can someone please tell me if explosives are being stored in a hanger rented by Austin Estes at the Williamsburg Airport? Can someone please explain why a booby trap made with a gun to harm Mr. Butch Housman at the Williamsburg Airport and if any of this is true just why is it not under investigation? Is the Whitley County Sherriff on the Airport board? The airport has money missing, dirty fuel, no manager and so many other problems. This airport has cost the tax payer million’s and not one job. Who is responsible for this mess? The county and the city of Williamsburg pays thousands of dollars to keep this airport open. I think it would be a great thing if our County Judge and Mayor ask the airport to show the tax payers what is going on besides a place for the few to park and fly private planes. I just can’t believe what I saw in the paper about explosives and booby traps at the airport. Just what in the —- is going on out at this airport and has ATF seen the article in the paper? “STORING EXPLOSIVES”
I would like to think Mr. Robert Moses for asking for this audit to be made public. Mr. Colegrove, Mr. Mays and Mr. Robert Moses for leading with honor and integrity. So when I think about a person of integrity, and use that as a positive description, what often remains hidden is the fact that what we find so positive about that person of integrity is the fact that he lives by a set of values and principles that we admire and will be handed down to his children. It is his integrity towards his values that is positive, not necessarily the fact that he practices integrity by honoring his word and delivering on his promises. For these men are trustworthy leaders whom I admire, their integrity is a positive quality because of the honor with which they assume their leadership responsibilities. I can now see the airport as positive for the people in our region because of these men doing the right thing and having an audit.
I know Mr. Colegrove and Mr. Mays already know what happen to the money. I am looking at a book keeper that’s a CPA and she should know were every penny has gone. I suppose I would start with the CPA and follow the money trail. I understand in May 2012, Colegrove wrote to Brashear asking specific questions about loans but no response was forthcoming from Brashear. I would look at this very close because if you had nothing to hide why not response? They are more people looking into this money missing than you may think.
Theft by failure to make required disposition of property. This investigation should show who could have siphoned off any missing money. Did someone in position of trust take a significant amount of money? I can see Mr. Colegrove and Mr. Mays asking for an audit to prove or disprove any wrong doing. To clear all person’s at the Whitley County airport an independent audit should be done and made public. You should ask the Kentucky Auditor’s office to do the audit so it will not cost the airport. If you have spending practices that are called “questionable” and “troubling” then ask for the Kentucky Auditor’s office to do an audit after all this is money paid out by Kentucky tax payers. Given how important the airport is, given the amount of money that goes into this, given the role it should play in the economic development of the region, certainly the troubling spending we’ve seen, certainly the dysfunction on the board merits a far larger review. The state auditor will have no authority to file charges or require restitution if need be, but its information can be used by police for criminal investigation. Now I do understand that no one has said any criminal abuse has happen at this time. I am saying if Mr. Colegrove and Mr. Mays truly want an audit they can have one free of charge. The board must vote to ask the Kentucky auditor to do the audit it’s as simple as that. The money just didn’t fly away or did it?