Judge: Airport Board violated Open Meetings Act

DETROIT (WXYZ) - A Wayne County judge ruled Friday that the Wayne County Airport Authority violated the Open Meetings Act in the selection process and hiring of now former Airport CEO Turkia Mullin.

Judge Robert Colombo Jr. made the ruling at a hearing Friday morning.

The plaintiff, local activist Robert Davis, filed the lawsuit against the airport.

"I am so sick and tired of our county employees suffering as a result of crooked and corrupt politicians and individuals appointed to various boards," Davis said after the hearing.

Turkia Mullin's attorney, Ray Sterling, says today's ruling does not mean her contract is made invalid. He is currently fighting the airport to pay the rest of her contract, following her firing in October.

But Robert Davis says his next move is a lawsuit to declare Mullin's contract has been rendered invalid because she was hired illegaly.

He says that lawsuit should be filed next week.

Sterling, however, says today's ruling only bolsters his client's argument that she is entitled to what remained on her $750,000 contract when she was fired following a closed door session in October.

"Ms. Mullin also has a lawsuit against the Airport, claiming that it violated the Open Meetings Act by holding a closed meeting to discuss her termination," Sterling said after the hearing. "The ruling today provides support for Ms. Mullin’s claim that the Airport board does not abide by the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.

Judge Colombo ordered the airport board not to violate the Open Meetings Act again in its next search for Mullin's replacement.

Colombo also said that the Airport Authority will have to pay the plaintiff's attorney fees. That figure has not been tallied, but it will come from Wayne County taxpayer dollars.

The following statement was issued by the Wayne County Airport Board Authority in response to today's ruling:

The Authority Board believed it acted in compliance with the Open Meetings Act in its CEO search process and it was never the intention of the Board to violate the law. Wayne County Airport Authority intends to fully comply with Judge Colombo’s ruling. In addition, because the Board is always interested in improving its processes, it is also committed to taking two specific actions:

1.  The Airport Authority is planning an Open Meetings Act training session for Board Members and executive staff conducted by a law firm with special expertise in this area and which has provided OMA counsel to other governmental entities and municipalities.

2.  If at some future date, the Board conducts another executive search, the Board is committed to reviewing the processes used by other similar organizations governed by the Open Meetings Act to determine best practices and implement such in the Authority’s search process.

As the new Chair of the Airport Authority Board, I recognize the importance of the Open Meetings Act and will take the necessary steps to assure that the Board conducts its business in compliance with the Act. The Board will move forward with a commitment to openness and transparency as is appropriate for a public body which is setting policy and guiding the operation of some of the state’s most critical transportation infrastructure: Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Willow Run Airport.

Mary Zuckerman, Board Chair

Wayne County Airport Authority