Wheeling agrees to airport changes

Wheeling has agreed to many of the changes proposed in the agreement for the airport it shares with Prospect Heights except for matters regarding the village manager.

While the village agreed that the manager and Prospect Height's administrator wouldn't be on the airport board for now, trustees wanted to retain the right to have him -- or a future manager -- be back on the board. The board currently consists of them, a chairman chosen by both towns and two residents each from Wheeling and Prospect Heights.

Otherwise, the Wheeling board has the option to fill the current village manager spot with a resident or one of its own trustees.

Oversight of Chicago Executive Airport has been contentious over the last year, with representatives of the two towns trading charges over how it is run.

The Wheeling village board discussed the matter Tuesday after previous meetings with Prospect Heights on changes to the agreement regarding the airport chairman.

Wheeling agreed that language about the chairman's position should be changed so that if both towns want to have a chair removed, as happened with Kevin Dohm last year when he was in the spot, it would be easier to do.

Trustees also agreed that they would be allowed to attend closed sessions of the airport board but would not be allowed to participate in any discussion.

Trustee Dean Argiris said he didn't think that was wise, but the other five board members approved the measure.

Prospect Heights will also have to approve the changes that Wheeling wants before any can be implemented in the agreement.