Orange County supervisors Tuesday voted 3-2 to allow Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee appoint a non-Orange County resident to the county’s airport commission.
The county requires an airport commissioner to live in the county, but Chaffee wanted to change the law so Brendan O’Reilly, Fullerton Airport’s manager, could serve on the commission. O’Reilly lives outside of the county, but works in it, Chaffee said.
The board approved a first reading of the ordinance by a 3-2 vote with Chairwoman Michelle Steel and Supervisor Don Wagner dissenting.
“I would rather someone who lives in Orange County and understands the … issues and share their policies with talking to their acting groups and communities and city council members,” Steel said.
“I really don’t agree with someone who doesn’t live (in the county) especially this airport commission. There’s so many issues out there. I don’t want non-Orange County residents serving on this commission.”
Wagner said he had “no doubt” O’Reilly would “be able to offer his expertise and perform the function very well, but it is a commission made up of residents… So opening up the commission to folks who have a vested professional interest as opposed to residents… that’s probably a step we don’t want to take.”
Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said, “I appreciate the comments of my colleagues… but we have a very qualified person who works in Fullerton… and is very qualified on airport issues, but happens to live outside the county line… I don’t look at this as precedent setting, but kind of a one-off.”
The board still has to vote a second time to ratify the change.
Chaffee said he wants O’Reilly on the commission because “he has done an outstanding job in Fullerton and will bring an important connection to the Fullerton and OC airports.”