louis miller never answers

It doesn’t matter what they say
In the jealous games people play
Our lips are sealed

Pay no mind to what they say
It doesn’t matter anyway
Our lips are sealed
– The Go-Go’s.

This guy never has any answers.

Now that he is leaving, local newspapers are asking a lot of questions of Tampa International Airport Executive Director Louis Miller. But many folks around town have been content to let Miller have his way with Tampa International – for fourteen years.

Even as some are finally asking about his actions and motives, they praise him.

Tampa City Council will give Miller a formal commendation. Trib editors say “Miller ran Tampa International Airport masterfully. A handful local leaders have supported him publicly, including city council members Tom Scott, Charlie Miranda, and Linda Saul-Sena, as well as Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio.

But there have been plenty of questions lately.

In December, some folks were asking if Miller was doing enough to attract international flights. He didn’t seem to be real happy about discussing the topic.

Later that month, Miller planned to knock down a perfectly good building. Even though the office building had previously brought in half a million bucks in rent per year, he claimed demolition of the $4 million building was necessary. Miller made this decision in December ‘09 without notifying the entire board. He did speak with one board member, chairman Al Austin, who happens to own his own nearby office building, yet says there is no conflict of interest.

Miller and Austin both justified the decision saying no one wanted to rent the building. Turns out that the Moffitt Cancer Center was interested, and both men knew it.

In early February, Miller said he had approved nearly 45 variance permits as the airport’s zoning director, even though state law says a board of adjustment should decide.

Further, even though Miller was notified back in 2002, TIA staff committees ignored Florida’s open meetings law, and awarded contracts without public review.

Just before the Sunshine violations were reported, Miller abruptly announced his resignation to “explore other opportunities.”

The Tribune Editorial Board finds the decision curious, Mitch Perry wants to know why why he quit, and the St. Pete Times says Miller owes us an explanation.

Let’s see. He cringed at questions about international flights, didn’t care to converse with board members about the office building, bypassed a variance board in zoning, and violated sunshine laws. Miller has been doing whatever he wanted for fourteen years, completely avoiding any questions from anyone. Compared to this guy, Marcel Marceau was downright chatty.

And now you expect him to tell us why he’s leaving? Good luck with that.

Seems to me that we should have been asking questions some thirteen and a half years ago.