Airport Board still supports privatizing security force

The Glacier Park International Airport Authority Board remains committed to its decision to privatize the airport security force, even though a newly appointed board member wants to revisit that decision.

Commercial airline pilot Curt McIntyre, who was appointed to the board in January, asked fellow board members to discuss the privatization issue at Tuesday’s meeting, but was told by chairman Chris Byrd that parliamentary procedure required McIntyre to first make a motion and have it seconded before discussion could ensue.

McIntyre moved to adopt a resolution to rescind the board’s earlier vote to apply to the Transportation Security Administration Screening Partnership Program to use a private contractor for security screening.

The motion failed for lack of a second.

“I feel I’m being shut down,” McIntyre told the board.

Prior to McIntyre’s request, Byrd said the board has not acted hastily. He stepped the group through the timeline and due-diligence process that culminated in the board’s decision to privatize.

“This board believes the government should provide the oversight, but not be the provider,” Byrd summarized, adding that the main reason for privatization is staffing flexibility.

Longtime board member Jim Trout stressed that the decision to privatize the security force has nothing to do with the quality of current screeners.

“At no time has the board questioned the integrity of TSA,” Trout said. “We’re lucky to have them. [This decision] was never meant to reflect on the quality of the people.”

The board submitted its application to privatize last July and is still waiting for final approval, Airport Director Cindi Martin said. It’s a lengthy process that involves the federal government issuing a request for proposals from private contractors.

West Yellowstone and Butte airports also are awaiting approval to privatize security operations.

Nationwide, 17 airports have privatized, four are in the process and three will apply within a month, Byrd said.

“No airport [that has privatized] has elected to return to TSA,” he said.

Once an airport joins the Screening Partnership Program, federal screening positions are abolished, but private contractors must pay wages and benefits comparable to what security workers presently are earning. In many cases, federal security workers are rehired by the private firm.

Still, there are lingering concerns about job security among the federal security workers at Glacier Park International Airport. Several employees attended Tuesday’s meeting.

 Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com