All three incumbents have said they would serve another term if chosen to do so. Councilman Dave Weaver, who stepped down from the airport authority in 2006 after serving an eight-month term to become mayor, will also throw his hat in the ring.
“Will I get on?” Weaver asked. “I haven’t the foggiest. But I don’t want to lose Carl Povilaitis. He’s too good.”
Weaver — due to conflict-of-interest rules excluding those interested in the post — will not have an opportunity to vote on the two-term pilot who council members say was instrumental in crafting a study addressing a proposed nighttime curfew at Bob Hope Airport.
Povilaitis could not be reached for comment.
Manoukian said his second-term priority would be to resolve the long-standing curfew study, which come under greater scrutiny from other regional airports wary of possible impacts of flight restrictions at Bob Hope Airport.
“It’s an important issue,” he said.
Quintero has also expressed a desire to serve on the authority for another term. In 2008, he was appointed to serve the remaining term of former Councilman Bob Yousefian, who stepped down under council pressure in 2007.
Councilman John Drayman said he had yet to finalize his decision, but did say that having elected officials as representatives on joint boards was positive for the community. That rationale bodes well for Weaver’s chances, though nothing is certain.
“You may walk in thinking you’re feeling one way, but you may wind up voting a different way,” Drayman said. “I am looking for both consistency on the airport commission . . . [and] what these individuals bring to current projects and future projects.”
Much of that process includes hearing from staff, colleagues and candidates before making a decision, he added.
Councilman Ara Najarian said he was not planning to replace any of the current incumbents.
“They’ve got a pretty wide scope of issues that they’re concerned about,” he said. “I think that they are doing an excellent job on the authority, and I see no need to replace any of them.”
Councilwoman Laura Friedman, who together with Drayman and Najarian will decide the fate of the lineup, declined to comment on how she would vote.
