We wholeheartedly agree with Covington City Council’s decision to appoint an authority to oversee our local airport.

 The Covington Municipal Airport is essential to the future economy and growth of Covington and Newton County.

 We also like the idea that the airport commission will be an independent group free of the cronyism of local politics.

 The authority will be modeled after the city’s successful Industrial Development Authority in all but one aspect.

In the city’s resolution creating the authority, members have been granted the power to set their own pay.

We disagree with this concept of payment for what are traditionally volunteer duties. It sets a bad precedent for other volunteer boards serving the city, such as the housing and downtown development authorities, as they currently do not afford paid positions.

 There are plenty of bright, successful business people in the Covington and Newton County community that would make excellent volunteer members of this commission, who care enough about the city to offer their services regardless of pay.

 To start paying people for work customarily performed on a volunteer basis, undermines the notion of community service.