VIA officials say Harlingen leaders want a part in director’s hiring process

HARLINGEN — City leaders want to take part in the process of hiring Valley International Airport’s next director, airport officials said.

Since its founding in 1950, the airport’s board of directors has hired the aviation director while overseeing the hiring process, based on the city charter, board Chairman George McShan said.

Then in last November’s city election, voters passed a proposition amending the charter to state “the aviation director of Valley International Airport may only be hired or terminated with the prior approval of the Harlingen city commission.”

While giving the board autonomy to oversee the airport’s operations, the charter also aimed to keep politics out of the aviation director’s hiring process, McShan said in an interview.

“If elected officials are included, yo