The county Registrar of Voters released the certified results from the Nov. 7 election on Dec. 6, confirming initial counts indicating that residents did not wish to further consider Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar for a commercial airport, or Proposition A.
But the counts were close in certain areas ” specifically those adversely affected by the current Lindbergh Field airport ” with residents close to equally divided on the issue.
Official results, which include absentee ballots, only slightly increased the tallies in favor of Proposition A by .01 percent. In Ocean Beach, Loma Portal and Midway, the vote remained at a collective 52 percent in favor and 48 percent opposed.
Proposition A failed, however, countywide.
Meanwhile, the Airport Authority Board has undergone a transformation, as four members’ terms expired and they moved on. Two were reappointed for another term and two resigned midterm.
New members were sworn in on Friday, Dec. 15, for four-year terms.
The Airport Authority Board was created in 2003 with the mission of proposing a site for a new regional airport for public approval in 2006. It is unknown if and when another site recommendation will be made.
Of the nine-person board, three are paid members of the executive committee, and their appointments require approval, while the rest are volunteers and are not confirmed. Former committee members included William Lynch, Joe Craver and Xema Jacobson, though Jacobson will stay on for another term.
Alan Bersin, who replaces former board chairman Craver, was confirmed by the City Council Dec. 4 by a 6-2 vote. He was also elected to serve as the new board’s chairman.
Robert Watkins, confirmed Dec. 12, replaced Lynch. Ramona Finnila has replaced Robert Maxwell, whose term expired. Morris Vance resigned on Dec. 15. and will be replaced by San Marcos Mayor Jim Desmond, who has yet to be sworn in.
Paul Peterson, who had two years remaining in his term, unexpectedly resigned from the board on Dec. 4, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Mayor Jerry Sanders appointed retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Boland to serve the remainder of the term.
Jim Panknin replaced Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom, who had completed her term of service.
Both Panknin and Boland served on the No on A campaign committee, Boland as the campaign chairman.
Paul Nieto was re-elected vice chairman, while Council President Pro Tem Tony Young, Jacobson and President/CEO Thella Bowens remain on the board.
The board also voted to change the time of its monthly public meetings from 10 a.m. the first Monday of each month to 10 a.m. the first Thursday of each month, starting in February 2007.
Nieto has not yet completed his term, and Bowens, as president, does not have a term limit.
The next public meeting of the Airport Authority Board will be Monday, Jan. 8, at 10 a.m., third floor, commuter terminal of the San Diego International Airport.
The new board will determine the next course of action in charting the plan for the future of Lindbergh Field and whether they will continue past studies or conduct new location studies.
For more information on the board and its studies, visit www.san.org/airport_authority/splash.asp.