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Dallas, FW Mayors Call For DFW Airport Review

Airport Board Members Moncrief, Leppert React To CBS 11 Travel Perks Investigations

(CBS 11 News) DFW Airport Board member and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief called for a thorough review of DFW airport's travel policy.

He made the request on behalf of himself and fellow board member and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, who is out of town and was not at today's airport board meeting.

The mayors' request follows a series of CBS 11 investigative reports that showed the airport's CEO Jeff Fegan and other top administrators flew first class and stayed at pricey hotels at airport expense.

Moncrief said while the staff didn't violate policy, "I don't know that it's a good policy."

He went on to say at the board meeting that "if it's perceived we're not being responsible, then that's what the public is going to get."

Moncrief said he and Leppert want the board chair, Lillie Biggins, to set up a committee to work with the auditor to compare DFW's travel policy with other airports, review administrative costs and the administrators' benefits, the board's credit card policies, car allowance policies, and have the committee report all findings back to the full board.

Biggins said she will set-up the committee. Airport CEO Jeff Fegan said during the meeting, "He welcomed the review and that the airport has nothing to hide. We enjoy the transparency."

There was no word on how long it will take the board committee to review the policies.

A spokesperson for the Mayor Leppert released the following statement:

The Mayor is out of state on City business and could not attend today's meeting. However, he has met with Airport officials and spoken with Mayor Moncrief, and both agreed that a special committee be formed to look more closely into this. This is Mayor Leppert's response:

"Over the next several weeks, this special committee must look carefully at the issues being raised. Mayor Moncrief and I both feel that we must have confidence - and taxpayers must be confident - that both the letter and spirit of the policies are being followed. And if we find policies that need revising - we will do it. DFW is clearly one of the best airports in the world but that doesn't mean there are not ways to be more efficient."

Mayor Tom Leppert

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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