The severance scandal surrounding the now-fired CEO of Detroit Metro Airport, Turkia Mullin, has apparently claimed a member of the airport board.
Wayne County Airport Authority chair Renee Axt resigned Monday. She issued the following statement:
"I notified the Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano and the Airport Authority Board today that I have resigned from the Airport Authority Board, effective immediately. The timing allows the Board to prepare for its next meeting with knowledge of my resignation. It also provides the County Executive the opportunity to appoint a new individual to the Board prior to the Board's election of new officers, which will occur this month. I am very proud of my service on the Airport Authority Board, and wish everyone the best going forward."
Axt’s company, RCP Associates, is reportedly named in FBI subpoenas investigating Wayne County.
Axt also sits on the board of a controversial non-profit that paid Mullin a supplemental salary when she worked as Wayne County’s economic development chief.
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano never called for Axt specifically to step down. But he did say this last week:
“If there’s anybody in the current term that has too close a tie they feel to Wayne County…or there’s an appearance they have too close a tie…I have no problem with them stepping down.”
In a written statement, Ficano said Axt resigned for “personal reasons.”
Ficano praised Axt’s efforts on behalf of the airport, and says he’ll immediately launch a search for her successor.
