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March 28, 2024

Steve Foster, Vermilion County Airport Commissioner, shows ignorance of law, gives excuses –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On July 4, 2018

DANVILLE, IL. (ECWd) –

Steve Foster photo from DACC Publication

Apparently the Herald-Review, interviewed two of the Vermilion County Regional Airport Authority Commissioners about our allegations that three of the remaining airport commissioners are disqualified from serving in those appointed positions (their article is here).

First things first, according to the article, board chairman Dave Kietzman stated to the reporter that the Airport Board voted 4-0 (with 3 of them being disqualified from serving) to accept a resignation. They then proceeded to appoint a new airport manager, with a 4-0 vote (with 3 of them being disqualified to serve) – without that action being properly placed on the agenda, creating a violation of law by taking action on an item not listed on the agenda. Violations of the Open Meetings Act are Class C Misdemeanors.

Who is Dave Kietzman?

Steve Foster photo from his campaign webpage

Also according to the article, Steve Foster (another commissioner ineligible to serve) is quoted as stating that “taxing body board for airports can be structured differently. From what he’s heard, there are four types of airport boards in Illinois under the Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics and most airport boards have an aldermen or county board members serve on them depending on if the airport is city or county of jointly owned.” He added “the state wants legislation revisited, with the attorney general looking into it.”

Steve Foster has apparently never thought to read the Airport Authorities Act – or he is intentionally misleading the reporter in an attempt at not looking bad. Nothing he said makes any sense at all and does not take into account Airport Authorities like the airport in Vermilion County.

Here, we will paste it so our readers will know (or click here to read the statute 70 ILCS 5/5):

Sec. 5. Qualifications of commissioners and removal from office. No person shall be appointed to the Board of Commissioners of any Airport Authority who has any financial interest in the establishment or continued existence thereof or who is a member of the governing body or an officer or employee of a municipality, a county, or any other unit of local government . . .

That is not a hard paragraph to read and comprehend, but apparently it is to Steve Foster, Dave Kietzman, William Ingram, and the airport attorney (who should have had all of them removed from office years ago). Some of the blame goes to the Mayor of Danville, who appointed Steve Foster to a position he was and is not qualified to hold.

Who is Steve Foster?

  • Foster is an Alderman in the City of Danville and cannot serve as an airport authority commissioner – but he tries fudging his way thru to at least one more meeting instead of doing the honorable thing and resigning
  • Nothing he said about other airports has any relevance to the Vermilion County Airport Authority
  • It does not matter if the AG is “looking into it” – he cannot remain in that position

These people should be refused a seat at the table of future Airport Authority board meetings because they are not qualified to serve in that capacity.

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1 Comment
  • Robert O. Bogue
    Posted at 21:22h, 09 July

    I would like to believe a DNV alderman could read, comprehend English and Illinois Law. Forget the mayor, this is on you, Steve Foster.
    Nothing looks more incriminating than stalling, stonewalling, voting, and pretending to be operating within the legal authority of the Airport Authority…when clearly you are not. Resign now, so there’s less criminal activity in Vermillion County and in Illinois. Ignorance is no longer an excuse and no longer your excuse. Man up, do what’s best for your county! Follow the law!

    Dave Kietzman….words almost escape me. How can a DACC official presumed to have command of the English language and a working level of comprehension not understand this is a violation of Illinois Law? Again, ignorance is no longer an excuse and no longer yours. What arrogance! Resign! Do the right thing for your county, state and country!

    For those having a hard time grasping things, this is what corruption looks like. NBC claims Illinois is the third most corrupt state in the union. We’re paying taxes for this! If they choose to violate this Illinois Law….what Law will they ignore next? What laws have already been broken? If you know these guys, just ask them to do the right thing.

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