MWAA Presentations for Open Houses, AKA "Public Hearings"

Below are the briefing boards that MWAA will be using in its so-called "public hearings" to be held in the next week at three area high schools, including the South Lakes High School cafeteria at 5-8PM on September 12, 2012.

The viewgraphs are updated versions of virtually the identical viewgraphs MWAA has displayed over the last several years at what were then called "open houses."  In those meetings, and probably in this one, blown up versions of these viewgraphs will be displayed around the cafeteria with an MWAA staffer or two standing near each of them to sell their work and try to answer questions or hear complaints.  Possible exceptions to the general absence of Board members include Jack Potter, CEO, and maybe Tom Davis, Vice Chairman, who lives nearby.

Simply put, the MWAA Board is afraid to confront the public--although they are not afraid to take the public's money.  It is meeting a legal obligation to present annually materials to the public.  Now it is calling it a "public hearing."  It is not.  To call it a "public hearing" is a fraud.

• There will be no formal hearing or other formal proceedings if the MWAA press release is accurate.  
• The Board will not be sitting to take testimony.  Most will likely not be there.  CEO Jack Potter and Tom Davis, Vice Chairman, who lives nearby, might be there.
• There is no opportunity for the public to testify in front of decision makers on matters that concern them related to the Dulles Toll Road.  
• There will be no formal full text transcript.   Questions, comments, and complaints will be edited to suit the message MWAA wishes to convey (without being too obvious).
• Since MWAA has stated repeatedly that it, and it alone, has the authority to set tolls, comments complaining about excessive toll increases (which might be documented) will be ignored in rate setting.

Don't be fooled by this debasement of the concept of a public hearing where responsible officials listen to and question people who wish to speak on the salient issues on the record in a formal setting. 

MWAA Brief on Dulles Toll Road--Aug 2012

For those of you who want to get the "full monty" version of this MWAA propaganda effort, the following link takes you to a narrated presentation of these viewgraphs:  http://mwaaopenhouse.net/

The only good thing about this narrated MWAA presentation is that it much more accurately characterizes the MWAA show as an "open house," which it is.  Nothing in this narrative that suggests the upcoming shows will be hearings.