Streator Elected President of Airport Authority

The embattled board that runs Burbank Airport on Monday elected new officers to lead it through tough times that include lawsuits over a proposed larger passenger terminal.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority elected Joyce A. Streator, vice president for the past year, as its new president.

Streator, a Pasadena city councilwoman, is beginning her third year on the authority and replaces outgoing President Carl Raggio Jr. of Glendale. Raggio, an authority commissioner since 1988, will remain on the board.

Carl Meseck of Glendale, a commissioner since the authority took control of the airport in the late 1970s, will serve as vice president.

Commissioner Margie Gee of Burbank was reelected the authority’s secretary in the annual election.

Each of the three cities that form the authority names three commissioners to the panel, which runs the 5-million-passengers-a-year facility.

Burbank officials and residents have repeatedly complained about noise, traffic and other issues surrounding the plan for a new terminal. Opposing sides have filed lawsuits over the matter.

“I’m going to be optimistic that we’re going to move forward,” Streator said, vowing to push for a new terminal to be built as soon as possible. “These are tough times. It would be nice if it would all disappear.”

The authority also voted Monday to end its practice of employing Burbank Assistant City Manager Steve Helvey as the board’s auditor and Burbank Treasurer Jim Rogers as its treasurer. The move was not intended as criticism of Helvey or Rogers, but to improve efficiency, several commissioners said.

The authority voted to have Streator and Meseck, with the help of authority staff members, serve as auditor and treasurer.