Morning Read: DMV Leaders Demand Reforms To MWAA Board

Dysfunction continues at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and now the DMV’s top leaders are trying to put a stop to it all.

After a Post story about a judge refusing Virginia’s request to replace a labor leader on the panel, Gov. Bob McDonnell, Gov. Martin O’Malley, Mayor Vincent Gray and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wrote a letter Tuesday to MWAA chair Michael Curto saying that recent reports have raised “serious doubts” in MWAA.

Politico reports that the letter is notable both for its comprehensiveness and because it brought together rivals McDonnell and O’Malley with the feds and Gray.

The MWAA board is responsible for overseeing northern Virginia’s airports and the Metro extension project to Dulles.

The letter, according to Politico, asked for the following eight reforms to be instituted immediately.

* Overhaul MWAA’s human resources office to come in line with federal standards.
* Ax noncompetitive contracts made with former MWAA members.
* End work relationships between the board and former members.
* Employ “post-employment” restrictions between the board and former members.
* Beef up the ethics code to avoid conflicts of interest.
* Tighten the belt on travel procedures “to eliminate wasteful spending.”
* Open meetings, meeting minutes and the agenda to the public and online.
* Reduce costs at the airports and in the Metro construction.

The MWAA Board announced Tuesday that it would be cancelling contratcs worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with former board members, according to The Washington Examiner. In exchange for payment, the board members audited airports activities and lobbied the state legislature on behalf of the authority.

Local

Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information

GMU cricket stadium proposal scrapped

Nationals place Stephen Strasburg on 60-day injured list

The MWAA had previously defended these insider contracts, but cancelled them after the DMV leaders sent the letter.

IN OTHER NEWS:

* The Maryland General Assembly approved the gambling expansion bill early this morning, allowing for a casino game in Prince George’s casino and table games throughout the state.

* The Senate president declared an impasse on the controversial pit bull legislation that labeled the breed as inherently dangerous, effectively killing the bill in this summer’s special session.

Gallaudet kicks off its building campaign with a new $16 million dorm designed by deaf students for deaf students.

* Biden held a rally in Danville Tuesday but drew some controversy for his “chains” remark.

* Formerly ousted and now reinstated UVA President Teresa Sullivan says that she made mistakes throughout the controversy. Her exclusive interview with the Post.

* Homicide Watch D.C. is going on hiatus.

* Greater Greater Washington talks about Uber taxi service and whether and how to regulate it.

Contact Us