From Daily Planet Staff Reports

The Asheville Regional Airport sent three members of its board to an industry conference at a swank Hawaii resort in mid-January, prompting an outcry from citizens, including the Asheville Tea Party, and the news media, and questions over alleged needless spending of taxpayers’ moneyfrom.

Of four airports around Asheville, two were sending only one representative each ­ Greenville-Spartanburg (S.C.) International and McGhee Tryon Airport outside Knoxville, Tenn.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tenn., sent no representatives to the American Association of Airport Executives at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali.

Initially, the Asheville airport was going to spend about $17,000 to send four board members to Maui, but one member, Rhett Grotzinger, announced a last-minute decision on Jan. 10 to cancel, based on information he had received on the size of the ARA contingent and costs involved.

Board members attending included Asheville attorney and airport board Chairman Dave Hillier; David Gantt, who also is an attorney and chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners; and state Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Asheville.

Also attending was Asheville Airport Director Lew Bleiweis, who said most of his costs were covered by the American Association of Airport Executives.

Bleiweis expressed surprise and disappointment at an e-mail Grotzinger sent him, feeling that he would have benefited from what he would have learned at the conference.

As Hillier, Gantt and Fisher each returned on separate days from the Hawaii trip to the Asheville airport, they defended their trip before awaiting ATP protesters, often dressed in tropical attire and bearing protest signs, and the news media.

In response, the ATP said in a Jan. 10 statement, “Two of the participants, both elected officials, justify the expense by pointing to what they will gain personally from the conference.

“According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, County Commission Chairman Gantt believes the thousands of dollars in public money is well spent because the connections he makes may ‘come in handy later.’

“State Rep. Susan Fisher likes these types of conferences because they improve her effectiveness as a board member. Neither commented on what the actual benefit would be to area taxpayers. Fisher did allow, ‘It makes me feel for people who have to deal with 17-degree weather.’”

Prior to Grotziner’s decision to cancel his trip, Erika Franzi, ATP director, noted, “In the current economy, it is unconscionable that the airport board would send one person, much less four persons, to Hawaii for a conference of questionable value on the public dime.

“Private businesses do not have the luxury of not participating in the recession. The last organizations that should be ignoring the effects of the down economy are those which exist at the expense of the taxpayer and contribute nothing to the economy. If area citizens needed any proof that our local elected officials are out of touch with reality, this episode certainly fits the bill.