To the editor:

I am quite surprised that the Suffolk city manager and her staff would keep major offers and information as secrets from the City Council.

How could the city staff keep secret a very important request for proposals for use of the airport by the Navy? If approved by our City Council, the request could have brought in a large sum of money (approximately $2,000,000) and would have supported everyday use of the airport.

For the city staff to wait to inform council about the opportunity until after the deadline for responses is just not acceptable. It seems that the new city administration is going back to the old way that the city was managed.

With tax revenues falling short, we should be proud to accept an offer of this nature. If it had been shared with the City Council in time for a response, I feel sure that the request would have been approved.

W. Rufus Powell

Former council member

Suffolk