State appointees seated on Nashville Int'l Airport governing board despite lawsuit

Following a week of contentious political sparring, six state-appointed Metro Nashville Airport Authority board members have been seated, airport officials announced Friday.

Two additional appointees from Mayor John Cooper have not been announced. Metro Nashville is suing Tennessee leaders for passing a law stripping the mayor's sole power to appoint members to the airport's governing board.

Nevertheless, airport officials carried out House Bill 1176, which was approved by both sides of the legislature and signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 19.

"We are pleased to welcome the newly appointed board members and look forward to their steadfast partnership in serving our community," Nashville International Airport said, in a statement Friday afternoon. "We are grateful for the service of the current MNAA board members and thank them for their leadership in making BNA one of the fastest growing airports in the country."

In May, the Metropolitan Nashville Convention Center Authority welcomed three new ex-officio, non-voting members appointed by state leaders in a new law. Those additions are Treasury Secretary Jason E. Mumpower, State Treasurer David H. Lillard Jr., and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

The Metropolitan Sports Authority board has also been reorganized via recent state law, though the board will remain in place through the year. Nashville's mayor will then appoint seven members of the 13-member board and state officials will appoint six. The governor, House speaker and Senate speaker, each will have two appointments.

FAA: we won't recognize state-appointed board

Airport officials said they would abide by state law, despite an objection this week from Federal Aviation Administration Associate Administrator of Airports Shannetta R. Griffin.

"The FAA is also concerned about the uncertainty the legislation may have on the MNAA board governance during the pendency of the litigation," Griffin wrote. "To avoid this uncertainty, please be advised that the FAA will continue to recognize the existing board until such time as the Chancery Court rules on the issue."

The lawsuit alleges that state leaders illegally targeted only one of its counties and usurped local power. Metro Law Director Wally Dietz said the state law effectively "converts the Authority into a discrete component unit of state government."

Griffin said the FAA takes no position on the lawsuit but is concerned about "confusion concerning the governance of MNAA."

In response, the board said their legal advisors found no legal grounds for the FAA to not recognize the state-appointed members and they would "adhere to the rule of law, including any future court decision."

The state appointees are Lee, Lt. Gov. McNally, R-Oak Ridge, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville and Cooper, who can each choose two spots on the eight-member body.

State lawmakers said they backed the board reorganization as part of a plan to increase the state's stake in its largest regional airport.

“It is always nice to hear from the FAA as we did when this piece of legislation was in the House committee process," Sexton said in a statement to The Tennessean. "However, I respectfully disagree with their opinion and concur with the attorney for the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, who stated they 'are not aware of any legal authority that would support the FAA continuing to recognize the existing board.'"

New airport board members

Cooper has not said who he will appoint. But, while state leaders reappointed two existing members, there are five other MNAA members. Those are prominent Tennessee attorney Joycelyn Stephenson; TVV Capital executive Andrew Byrd; Bill Freeman, chairman of Freeman Webb and local publisher; Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover; and Triad Environmental principal Nancy Sullivan.

Lee appointed:

• Downtown Nashville high-rise developer Tony Giarratana.

• Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter.

McNally appointed:

• Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin.

• Sitting board member Jimmy Granbery, chairman and CEO of Nashville-based HG Hill Realty Co.

Sexton appointed:

• Masami Tyson, a global business attorney at Womble Bond Dickinson's Nashville office.

• Longtime board member, Nashville businessman and pilot Bobby Joslin.

Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: State appointees seated on Nashville airport board despite lawsuit