A beleaguered incumbent and his challenger for a seat on the Santa Maria Public Airport District board discussed their visions for the facility’s future Monday night in Orcutt.
David Baskett, who has served multiple terms, and Tony Guy, an aerospace engineer, participated in the forum held at the Luis OASIS Senior Center with approximately 55 people in the audience as they discussed a variety of topics.
One question focused on military aircraft using the airport, although local officials have little say regarding who lands on the runways.
Guy said he supports all aircraft operations — private, commercial and military planes.
“But I do think that we need to communicate with the residents in this area to explain to them what’s happening,” Guy said, adding that he visited a resident’s home and experienced the impact of the noise firsthand.
“Being a former military pilot, we used to enjoy making noise,” Baskett said, adding that noise limitations, approaches and departures are overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration and air traffic controllers.
However, some approaches have decreased, Baskett said, noting that some enjoy the noise and others dislike it.
“In accordance with FAA rules, we can encourage the straight-in approaches, rather than the noisy ones,” he said.
Other comments centered on the airport recently reaching a settlement regarding the endangered California tiger salamander that will see the district pay $6 million and set aside 365 acres to foster the amphibian.
After referring to former officials who allowed the habitat’s conversion to agricultural uses as negligent, Guy said the airport should unite with regulatory agencies moving forward.
“Partner with them so that we can understand what the needs are so that we can go ahead and comply,” Guy said, “and then we need to comply with integrity.”
The agency, he said, should approach the wildlife habitat area as a positive addition after prior leaders’ negligence led to the habitat destruction that resulted in a settlement.
“I want to be part of that solution because it can be managed positively, and it can be a positive thing for our community now that we’ve already been dealt these cards,” Guy said.
Baskett called the agreement “a bad settlement.”
“But it’s much better than everything else that we have been negotiating on now, off and on, for 20 years,” he said, adding that they would comply with the pact.
Guy recently retired from Adient Aerospace after bringing the aircraft interiors manufacturing firm that is part of Boeing to Santa Maria. The company operates in a facility on Skyway Drive.
After earning a mechanical engineering degree from UCSB, Guy worked for aviation firms after college before landing a job at Santa Maria’s C&D Aerospace, rising through the ranks to become general manager. (The firm later became Zodiac Aerospace and Safran after acquisitions.)
He said his love of aviation attracted him to seek a slot on the airport board.
“The best part of the Santa Maria Public Airport is that we have one,” Guy said, adding that many want to see some commercial passenger flights return.
Baskett, a former Army pilot, noted the limited commercial passenger service at the airport, advocating that the public agency start its own airline, but not giving specifics.
He later touted his experience at operating an airline, leaving out that Pacific Skyway failed months later, stranding passengers and owing government agencies thousands of dollars. The one-plane airline eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2001, listing about 240 creditors.
Additionally, Baskett claimed that the airport has “a security problem that needs improving,” describing “a very bad incident happened” when people entered the airfield and stole a truck and safe from a hangar.
“That’s a great failure of our security that’s got to be improved, and it is being improved,” Baskett said.
Baskett Begins Day in Criminal Court
Ironically, the forum occurred hours after Baskett appeared in a Santa Maria courtroom for his criminal case involving a vehicular manslaughter charge stemming from an incident near the airport.
Tiffany Ann Peterson, 39, of Orcutt was a passenger in a vehicle that struck the prongs of a heavy-duty forklift driven by Baskett while at the intersection of Hangar Lane and Skyway Drive on May 2.
Before the fatal crash, he and the forklift also had been involved in a minor crash within the fenced area of the airport as he operated the rented heavy equipment.
During Monday’s court appearance, he did not enter a plea as the arraignment hearing was continued again, now set for Nov. 5, coincidentally Election Day.
Peterson’s emotional relatives left the hearing in tears and frustration at another delay.
After the fatal incident, Baskett’s access to the Air Operations Area, a section surrounded by security fencing, was revoked and has not been restored.
While both candidates answered multiple questions, topics that did not get mentioned Monday night include Baskett’s criminal case, multiple civil lawsuits he filed against fellow board members and others, his colleagues asking for his resignation, or his questionable travel expenses submitted for reimbursement.
Elected Airport Board Unique
Unlike most airports, which fall under city or county management, Santa Maria’s is operated by an independent district governed by a professional staff with policies created by a five-member board.
Baskett and Guy are seeking to represent District 5, which includes a large swath of Orcutt and stretches to Los Alamos.
Two other terms also expire this year, but only the incumbents filed to the seats so the races won’t appear on the ballot. Those incumbents are Chuck Adams, who represents District 1, and Steven Brown, who represents District 3. (A map showing the districts can be found by clicking here.)
The League of Women Voters of North Santa Barbara County and the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce organized the airport board candidate forum along with multiple others in recent weeks.
A video recording of the airport board candidate forum along with those held for other races in the North County can be found on the YouTube channel by clicking here.
The Lompoc City Council and the Lompoc Unified School District candidate forums are available here.