Name change questioned
What was the big hurry for the Fayette County Airport Authority to rename Connellsville Airport, a decidedly public asset with a long and distinguished history, in honor of airport financial benefactor Joseph A. Hardy III? In an unsuspected move that would make the Pennsylvania Legislature proud, the airport board of directors voted 4-1 at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning to christen the facility the Joseph A. Hardy Regional Airport. Like the legislative pay raise of 2005, the public knew little to nothing about what was brewing in the minds of key decision-makers. Unless you consider the line from the legal advertisement that ran 24 hours before the special meeting, which described its purpose as “to discuss reorganization of the authority and any other business that may come before the board” as indicative that a major change was about to occur.
It’s also probably not coincidental that the vote was taken mere days after longtime board Chairman Fred K. Davis was not reappointed by Hardy and Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites. Davis’ replacement, McMillen Engineering Co. employee Todd Radolec, joined board members Mark Wasler, Terry Shallenberger and Jesse Wallace in wholeheartedly supporting the move.
It helps with the justification, of course, that Hardy provided the authority with an $800,000 personal loan last year so it could start preliminary work on a much-talked-about runway extension. Shallenberger also made mention of what Hardy has done for downtown Uniontown – which in reality has absolutely nothing to do with the airport – and opined, “He deserves to have his name inscribed somewhere.”
That’s fair enough. But before anyone goes changing the name of a public facility, shouldn’t that public agency be willing to let the public know the plan ahead of time? What would the reaction be if the Fayette County commissioners, without prior notice or debate, voted to rename the Fayette County Courthouse the “Fred L. Lebder Fayette County Courthouse,” in honor of the 28-year commissioner and local political legend? That’s pretty much the same thing the airport authority did in the twinkling of an eye, while the public’s eye was looking the other way.
Only board member Myrna Giannopoulos voted against the name change. In so doing, she offered a reasonable compromise – a motion naming only the airfield in Hardy’s honor – that died for lack of a second.
We won’t argue that as a rich and powerful man and community leader, Hardy stands larger than life. But such a big change should take place only after public awareness. The fact it didn’t go down that way lays the groundwork for the backlash that has already begun.
Connellsville Mayor Judy Reed, local historian William Balsley and Connellsville Historial Society President Karen Hechler are among those lining up to question the move. Balsley, who previously served on the airport authority board, is adamant that the name can’t be changed because the city of Connellsville contributed start-up money back in 1938 when the facility was built.
While paying homage to Hardy’s good works, Reed notes, “I think the airport authority may have acted in haste, before doing its research.” If the four airport board members were in a hurry to give Hardy an 84th birthday present (his birthday was also Saturday), they could have purchased a more traditional gift.
The one they bestowed flew too far below public radar.