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(Bill) Douglas and the airport board have twice refused to release public information about candidates to become the new director of McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport. Several months ago, airport officials refused to release the names of the first round of applicants for the airport job, which became open in July with the resignation of Rodney Hendrix. Two out-of-state finalists eventually turned down the job, and a new round of applicants was solicited by the board.
This time, all eight applicants are local people. Douglas says the board has narrowed the list to three finalists. But he has refused to disclose who they are, even in the face of an official public records request from a Jackson Sun reporter.
Douglas claimed he was unfamiliar with the open records law. We call that dereliction of duty, since it is his responsibility as a public official to know the law. When provided with a copy of section of the law that applies in this instance, Douglas said he would take up the matter with the board. That is just stonewalling.
