State investigating St. John’s County Airport Authority executive over use of tenant planes

Controversy is erstwhile again surrounding the St. Johns County Airport Authority, with questions present centering connected erstwhile Interim Executive Director Jaime Topp.

The State Attorney’s Office probe and subpoenas are each elaborate successful this April 14th gathering docket for the airdrome authorization board.

It lists demands for:

“Any and each relationship records pertaining to the pursuing unit and expenditures:

1.           Timesheets and wage accusation for interim enforcement manager Jaime Topp;

2.           Travel vouchers, disbursal vouchers, reimbursement receipts, for fuel, rental, lease and/or usage of immoderate airplane owned by Modern Aero oregon immoderate of its subsidiaries utilized by Jaime Topp;

3.           Flight log/plans for Jaime Topp flying Cirrus Planes owned, leased, managed oregon different operated by Modern Aero oregon immoderate of its subsidiaries.”

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

However, Topp said successful an interrogation with Action News Jax Wednesday greeting helium has nary cognition of these subpoenas.

“I did interrogation with the state’s attorney, but determination was ne'er immoderate notation of a subpoena,” Topp said.

Current airdrome authorization committee subordinate Jennifer Liotta told Action News Jax this enquiry comes aft it was brought to airy Topp whitethorn person utilized those Modern Aero planes to alert to Miami for idiosyncratic concern during moving hours.

Liotta said, if true, it could beryllium a usurpation of his employment contract.

Related: New details successful claims of unethical behaviour by St. Johns County Airport Authority committee members

“I recovered retired done speaking with the unit astatine Modern Aero that Mr. Topp had been renting an craft for Modern Aero during concern days, sometimes aggregate days successful a row,” Liotta explained. “And records amusement that craft was going down to South Florida. It’s my knowing that Mr. Top has a concern involvement successful the Miami area.”

Topp denied the assertion of violating his contract, though helium admitted to utilizing the level arsenic Liotta mentioned.

“Did you usage those planes - I conjecture adjacent if you were moving remotely - during your scheduled enactment time with the airdrome authority? Because I conjecture that’s the contented Liotta was raising,” Action News Jax Logan MacDonald asked.

“Yeah, but I paid for it myself, the airdrome didn’t wage for it,” Topp replied.

“But her assertion is that it violated your employment contract,” MacDonald added.

“No,” replied Topp.

Liotta, however, said she’s not alert of immoderate distant enactment statement ever being permitted by the board.

Action News Jax besides reached retired to the State Attorney’s Office for much inheritance connected the crushed for these subpoenas arsenic good arsenic the ongoing probe astatine hand, but person yet to perceive back.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the escaped Action News Jax quality and upwind apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your astute TV and click here to watercourse Action News Jax live.