Attorney: Airport ‘starved’ of revenue
County working to comply with federal regulations
Humboldt County didn’t meet the regulations necessary to obtain millions of dollars in federal grants for its airport in McKinleyville, according to a stipulation late last year between the county and an anonymous whistleblower.
In a stipulation filed in September 2019, the county agreed to make corrections to its airport practices so it meets federal regulations and qualifies for future grants. The county also agreed not to draw funds from previous grants that it obtained while failing to meet Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
The matter stems from a whistleblower complaint in 2017 that
alleges the county failed to follow the administration’s regulations while providing “false assurances” that it was in compliance.
“The County’s repeated assurances reflected in each of the grant applications and approved grants that it was in compliance with the mandatory assurances … were false,” the complaint states.
The whistleblower’s allegations include that the county’s Public Works department handed out cheap lease agreements to other
departments and private businesses, and didn’t follow up on unpaid rent.
As a result, the airport was deprived of local rental revenue as the county chased after federal grants, the whistleblower’s attorney said Tuesday.
“Humboldt County needs an efficient transportation system,” said attorney Phillip Benson, “and for years and years, the airport was literally starved of necessary resources by the county.”
County Public Works director Tom Mattson oversaw the airport until 2018, when the county made aviation its own department and named Cody Roggatz as its new director.
Mattson and Roggatz both declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter.
In a statement on Tuesday, county spokesperson Sean Quincey said the county is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and “providing further clarification where needed.”
“We deeply respect the FAA and the vital air service they help us to provide to the people of Humboldt County,” Quincey said.
“We are committed doing everything we can to make sure we conduct our business in the public view, and that we operate the county airports in accordance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations.”
While the whistleblower’s complaint calls for the county to pay out millions in damages, Benson said it’s unlikely the matter ever gets to the point of litigation, since Roggatz has been receptive to working with him on issues of compliance.
“The whistleblower’s intent was to correct a pretty bad situation,” Benson said. “That purpose is being satisfied right now, and hopefully will continue to take a quick and measured pace.”