Mayor: Airport dinner raises ethics concerns

By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said his office is looking into the ethics of the funding for a going-away dinner for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport general manager Ben DeCosta Monday evening.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that the event was funded by private sponsors including airport tenants and contractors. Public money wasn’t used, though airport staff helped organize the event.

Reed attended the invitation-only event at the Georgia International Convention Center but said he and his staff did not eat because of questions about the fundraising.

The airport organized the $25,000 event as it prepared to lay off about 67 employees. Airport managers enlisted the Airport Area Chamber of Commerce to handle donations, but the chamber chief said it did not make the solicitations.

City ethics guidelines say fundraising solicitations by city officials “should not target prohibited sources such as those that do business with the city” unless the fundraising is part of a “broad public appeal.”

Reed said his office is examining the matter.

“We’re going to look into it immediately,” he said. Reed said he didn’t initially think it was a conflict because DeCosta is leaving the airport. He said Monday evening he had not yet spoken with the city’s ethics board.

Among the corporate sponsors of the event: Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, concessions firm HMSHost and consulting firms HNTB, International Aviation Consultants, Jacobs and JJG.

The event program included remarks by Reed, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and others.

DeCosta -- whom Reed did not try to retain after winning last fall’s mayoral race -- steps down June 30 after more than a decade at the airport’s helm. A successor has not been named.