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By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES jandes@leader.net
 Saturday, February 17, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7A 





Airport Director Barry Centini told the truth when he said airport
officials often eat at Burger King when attending out-of-town conferences. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Centini didn't mention he and a Lackawanna County commissioner also ate at
a Hooters restaurant during a Florida air show conference three years ago. Or
that lobster was on the menu at another conference in 1998. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A review of three years worth of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International
Airport conference travel receipts shows that officials regularly order a beer
or two with dinner and often eat at finer steak houses, Italian restaurants
and seafood establishments. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Airport officials ate many lunches at diners, fast-food restaurants and
pizzerias, the same records show. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Receipts show that at least two officials ordered lobster tail during a
Florida conference in 1998. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The airport has no written travel policy that limits the taxpayer-funded
expenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Centini said some governments frown on paying for alcoholic beverages, but
he hasn't heard any complaints because the expenditure isn't excessive or
abused. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I could see a problem if we turned in receipts for four cases of beer,
but I don't see anything wrong with reimbursement for a bottle of beer or
glass of wine with dinner,'' Centini said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some government agencies also set limits on the amount of reimbursement for
meals and lodging. But Centini also points out that the airport's travel
expenses are conservative and in line with what is spent by other facilities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Times Leader requested to review the actual travel records in November
and instead received a summary of expenses. Airport officials supplied boxes
of original records and receipts for review on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Centini and former Lackawanna County Commissioner John Senio submitted the
bill for Hooters, a restaurant known for waitresses in short shorts and tight
low-cut tops, for a meal on April 17, 1998 during a four-day air show
conference in Kissimmee, Fla. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The $30.55 tab included two sodas and two beers, the receipt shows. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Centini said he didn't see any problem with the choice of eatery. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During that same air show conference, Centini and Senio spent $99.74 and
$52.37 for two other dinners at Pacino's, an Italian restaurant in Kissimmee.
The entrees were not listed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The lobster tail bill was submitted for a dinner during a February 1998
conference for airline executives in Orlando, Fla. Centini, Luzerne County
Commissioner Tom Makowski and Lackawanna County Commissioner Joe Corcoran
attended that conference. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The meal for four totaled $187.75 with tips. The two lobster tails cost
$59.90, and the check shows six bottles of beer were ordered. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A Feb. 7, 2000, dinner receipt shows that Centini, Makowski and a guest in
the airline industry spent $107.34 for dinner at Konrads Seafood Grille Room
in Marco Island during a conference for airline executives. The bill does not
specify what items were ordered. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Airport Assistant Director/Business Manager Wy Gowell said he supports a
written policy that would stipulate per-day meal allowances similar to the
kind used by many governmental agencies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But Gowell also said officials should have some discretion to buy meals for
potential airline industry clients the officials meet at conferences. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gowell said he has asked Parente Randolph Inc. to scrutinize airport travel
records in its audit, and the company has not found any questionable expenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Centini said all traveling airport employees and officials are instructed
to keep receipts and limit spending. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at
831-7333. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Airport Officials Show Varied Palate 
Everything From Hamburgers To Lobster Tail Shows Up On Expense Receipts Filed
By Authorities From The Area's Airport When They Make Business Trips.

Airport Officials Show Varied Palate Everything From Hamburgers To Lobster Tail Shows Up On Expense Receipts Filed By Authorities From The Area's Airport When They Make Business Trips.