A dispute over a reimbursement claim for lost airplane fuel appears to be settled after Starkville aldermen voted to pay Kenneth Aasand $2,081.56 contingent on the former George M. Bryan Airport fixed-based operator signing a settlement agreement.
Aldermen emerged from executive session Tuesday with the agreement after Aasand, the owner and operator of Grassroots Aviation, alleged he was shorted for the cost of fuel he previously purchased before the city canceled his business’ contract for services last year.
Officials offered no comments on the matter, and Aasand was expected to contact City Hall today to begin the process of receiving his money. The board’s motion included language stating Aasand must sign a release and settlement agreement freeing the city of any and all claims associated with his tenure as the airport’s FBO before receiving the settlement.
“It never should have taken a Freedom of Information Act request and complaint to get the city leaders to act in a responsible manner,” Aasand wrote in an email to The Dispatch after Tuesday’s meeting. “Information from my request proved to the city leaders that the city was in possession of more aircraft fuel than they had purchased. Prior to the FOIA request, they would not admit this. I think it is important for elected officials to know they will be held accountable by citizens for their actions.”
The Mississippi Ethics Commission has ruled in Aasand’s favor on open records complaints against the city dealing with the timely production of public information. Previously, the group stated Starkville’s airport board improperly entered into executive session Jan. 26, 2016, and failed to keep proper minutes from that meeting, and Starkville failed to respond timely to a public records request in October.
A third complaint filed in May alleges Starkville failed to timely produce airport board meeting minutes requested in March, and a fourth complaint states the city did not respond to a request for information associated with an investigation into the fuel discrepancy.
The MEC did not impose penalties against Starkville for the first two violations.
After Aasand was given 90 days to wind down his business in 2016, residual aviation fuel purchased by the former FBO remained in at least two tanks. The city ordered the gas tanks filled after it was believed he abandoned his business, Aasand said, intermingling his fuel with the city’s order.
In May, both Aasand and Mayor Parker Wiseman confirmed the city told Aasand he would not receive a reimbursement because, at the time of the transfer, there was no measurable fuel left in the tanks, but Aasand’s open records complaint included his own record of fuel levels as the basis of his claim.
Officer suspended
Aldermen also voted to suspend Officer Charles Jordan without pay pending the results of an internal Starkville Police Department investigation into his conduct.
Little is known about the situation which led to Jordan’s suspension, but the motion approved after Tuesday’s executive session states the action was based on a joint recommendation by Chief Frank Nichols and Human Resources Director Navarrete Ashford.
Jordan’s suspension was effective immediately.
Officials declined to comment on the matter, citing the protected nature of personnel matters and ongoing investigations.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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