Chattanooga Airport board members appointed by Mayor Tim Kelly met at City Hall on Monday to hear updates on the board’s legal challenges to a state law that vacated and replaced them.
Several members and the board’s attorney, John Konvalinka, expressed frustration at the slow speed of the legal proceedings. Konvalinka referred to the city-appointed board as the “legal board” and the state-appointed board as the “takeover board.” Both have continued meeting, though the state-appointed board is listed by the airport as the official board and meets onsite at Lovell Field.
“The wheels of justice move slowly,” Konvalinka said, “especially if you have something you need to be done.”
Earlier this month, a three-judge panel selected by the Tennessee Supreme Court set a June 2027 date to begin a trial for the city’s lawsuit against the state. The city alleges the state violated its own constitution by taking property without due process.