By JIM BUTLER

Snafu – a word with direct military origin – could be applied to the ICE staging center furor at the former England Air Base.

Some England Authority commissioners questioning each other, some grilling the executive director, an audience, none in favor, waiting almost three hours to speak their minds (minus harangue, invective and insults of past meetings), a thorough review of plans and procedures by the operator – all and more were part of the proceeding.

In the end the Authority passed on any vote revising, rescinding or affirming its previous action relative to the center.

The panel did direct Executive Director Ralph Hennessy and counsel Matt Nowlin to move in federal court for designation of its Intergovernmental Service Agreement with ICE as public record.

Commissioners, and dissenters in the public realm, are chapped that the ISA is not in their information packets. (A draft was available for commissioner perusal early on.) What it outlines relative to liability, security and other subjects are concerns raised.

The meeting video is archived on the Authority website.

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