MOHAVE COUNTY – The Mohave County Airport Authority (MCAA) met in a special session Monday afternoon, November 2, to discuss severance pay requested by Airport Director James Scheller who has been on paid administrative leave since early October. All who spoke at the meeting opposed it because of poor decisions Scheller made, leaving the airport almost bankrupt.
State Senator Hildy Angius was the first to speak to the board.
“If Mr. Scheller gets a dime of taxpayer money, I will take this, as a State Senator, to the state. I’m not saying this as a threat; I’m saying it as a promise,” Senator Angius said.
County Supervisor Rich Lettman, District 2, also opposed the severance package.
“You’re calling this a severance package. To me this is nothing short of a golden parachute. I don’t think you give golden parachutes to executives who basically rack up multi-million-dollar deficits that are endangering the financial health of this airport.”
Former Bullhead City Mayor Steve D’Amico, who is now Executive Director for the Bullhead City Metropolitan Planning Organization, working with grants, had a warning for the board.
“You cannot take grant funds and move that money anywhere. Period. I would not be surprised if they don’t come out and prosecute.”
Treasurer Linda Green discovered in her financial review that Scheller had moved money out of grant funds to operational funds for payroll or operating expenses.
D’Amico also told board member Ian Whitaker he should not vote because Scheller was allowing him to use a hangar, rent free, for a year, for his flight school.
He said the agreement Scheller made won’t expire until March 2027.
Mohave County Manager David Strahl also opposed the severance pay.
“The check he wrote to (Laura Johndon) for severance pay, the hangar deal he made, he basically said he didn’t need the board for anything, so why would you even consider rewarding him for that behavior by considering his severance pay?” Strahl asked the board.
A couple of employees spoke out against the severance package, while pleading to the board to save their jobs.
Board member Steve Latoski made a motion to deny the severance agreement. It passed three to two. Vice President of the Board Dean Martinez and former Vice President and board member Denise Berry both voted Nay. Whitaker abstained and did not vote.
The board also approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Mohave County for operation and transition of the airport and announced they would bring in the interim director Ed Faron.
Scheller will remain on paid leave until they can schedule another special meeting to decide his fate.
Ground crew supervisor pleads for airport employees’ jobs
Palle Mazsen said he had been asked to speak for 45 employees of the Bullhead/Laughlin International Airport at the recent Mohave County Airport Association meeting.
“How can any member in good conscience support this severance package to an individual whose financial oversight and decisions has left this organization in its current condition?” Mazsen asked. “With the exception of Ms. Green, Mr. Pruitt and Mr. Latoski, not a single person or board member has reached out to ask how the employees are doing or what concerns we have about our future.”
“There are 45 employees here. We’re not just names on a payroll, we’re people with families, with financial responsibilities. The employees did not create this financial situation. We did not make the decisions that robbed this organization. We continue to do our jobs, maintain operations, serve our airport and uphold our responsibilities, even through the uncertainty of our future,” he continued.
“We deserve accountability; we deserve transparency. Above all, we deserve a board that recognizes that these decisions today have real consequences for 45 employees and their families. We are asking this board to please consider the employees before making this decision. Please do not ask people who remain dedicated to this organization to pay the price.”
