Sec. 15-120bb. Connecticut Airport Authority. Board of directors. Executive director. Advisory committee.

(a) There is hereby established and created a body politic and corporate, constituting a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the state of Connecticut established and created for the performance of an essential public and governmental function, to be known as the Connecticut Airport Authority. The authority shall not be construed to be a department, institution or agency of the state.

(b) The powers of the authority shall be vested in and exercised by a board of directors, which shall consist of eleven members, appointed as follows: (1) (A) The Treasurer or the Treasurer's designee, (B) the Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee, and (C) the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the commissioner's designee, each serving ex officio; (2) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives for a term of four years; (3) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives for a term of four years; (4) one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate for a term of four years; and (5) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate for a term of four years. Thereafter, such members of the General Assembly shall appoint members of the board to succeed such appointees whose terms expire and each member so appointed shall hold office for a period of four years from the first day of July in the year of his or her appointment. The Governor shall appoint four members to the board as follows: (A) Two members for two years; and (B) two members for four years. Thereafter, the Governor shall appoint members of the board to succeed such appointees whose terms expire and each member so appointed shall hold office for a period of four years from July first in the year of his or her appointment. Appointed directors shall have business and management experience and shall include individuals who have experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: (i) Financial planning, (ii) budgeting and assessment, (iii) marketing, (iv) master planning, (v) aviation, and (vi) transportation management.

(c) Appointed directors may not designate a representative to perform in their absence their respective duties under this section. Any appointed director who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the board or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings of the board held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the board. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the balance of the unexpired term.

(d) The board of directors of the authority shall appoint an executive director who shall not be a member of the board and who shall serve at the pleasure of the board and receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the board. The executive director shall be the chief administrative officer of the authority and shall direct and supervise administrative affairs and technical activities in accordance with the directives of the board. The executive director shall approve all accounts for salaries, allowable expenses of the authority or of any employee or consultant thereof, and expenses incidental to the operation of the authority. The executive director shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the board in carrying out the purposes of subdivision (12) of section 1-79, sections 1-120, 1-124 and 1-125, subsection (f) of section 4b-3, sections 13b-4 and 13b-42, subsection (a) of section 13b-44 and sections 15-101aa and 15-120aa to 15-120oo, inclusive. The executive director shall be exempt from the classified service. The executive director shall attend all meetings of the board, keep a record of the proceedings of the authority and shall maintain and be custodian of all books, documents and papers filed with the authority and of the minute book or journal of the authority and of its official seal. The executive director may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the authority and may give certificates under the official seal of the authority to the effect that such copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the authority may rely upon such certificates.

(e) Each director shall be entitled to reimbursement for such director's actual and necessary expenses incurred during the performance of such director's official duties.

(f) Directors may engage in private employment, or in a profession or business, subject to any applicable laws, rules and regulations of the state or federal government regarding official ethics or conflict of interest.

(g) Six directors of the authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority. For the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority, and except as otherwise provided in this section, the authority may act by a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance.

(h) The board may delegate to six or more directors such board powers and duties as it may deem necessary and proper in conformity with the provisions of this section and its bylaws.

(i) The appointing authority for any director may remove such director for inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office after giving the director a copy of the charges against the director and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel, in the director's defense, upon not less than ten days' notice. If any director shall be so removed, the appointing authority for such director shall file in the office of the Secretary of the State a complete statement of charges made against such director and the appointing authority's findings on such statement of charges, together with a complete record of the proceedings.

(j) The authority shall continue as long as it has bonds or other obligations outstanding and until its existence is terminated by law. Upon the termination of the existence of the authority, all its rights and properties shall pass to and be vested in the state of Connecticut.

(k) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, it shall not constitute a conflict of interest for a trustee, director, partner or officer of any person, firm or corporation, or any individual having a financial interest in a person, firm or corporation, to serve as a director of the authority, provided such trustee, director, partner, officer or individual shall abstain from deliberation, action or vote by the authority in specific respect to such person, firm or corporation.

(l) The Governor shall appoint the chairperson of the board, who shall serve for a term of four years. The board shall elect from its members a vice chairperson and such other officers as it deems necessary. Vacancies among any officers shall be filled within thirty days following the occurrence of such vacancy in the same manner as the original selection. Said board shall establish bylaws to govern its procedures and shall appoint such committees and advisory boards as may be convenient or necessary in the transaction of its business.

(m) The initial members of the board may begin service immediately upon appointment, but shall not serve past the sixth Wednesday of the next regular session of the General Assembly unless qualified in the manner provided in section 4-7. Thereafter, all appointments shall be made with the advice and consent of both houses of the General Assembly, in the manner provided in section 4-19.

(n) The executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority shall establish an advisory committee to consult with on matters relating to Bradley International Airport and business related to said airport. The committee may consist of not more than six members, one of whom shall be appointed by the cochairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, and one of whom shall be appointed by the ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation. The advisory committee shall consist of residents of and representatives of businesses located in the Bradley Airport development zone, as well as one or more representatives from western Massachusetts. Members of such advisory committee may attend public meetings of the Connecticut Airport Authority and monthly managers' meetings of the Connecticut Airport Authority.

(P.A. 11-84, S. 2; P.A. 13-244, S. 27; P.A. 14-199, S. 11; P.A. 15-192, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 11-84 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-244 amended Subsec. (d) to replace reference to Sec. 1-79(l) with reference to Sec. 1-79(12); P.A. 14-199 added Subsec. (n) re establishment of advisory committee, effective June 12, 2014; P.A. 15-192 amended Subsec. (n) by adding provision re one or more representatives from western Massachusetts, effective July 2, 2015.