Residents urge council to investigate alleged utility fraud by airport hangar owners and Port commissioners

During the public-comment period on March 17, two Richland residents urged the City Council to pursue investigations into alleged misuse of city utility services involving airport hangar owners and Port of Benton commissioners.

Eugene Pratt, who identified himself as a Richland resident, told the council he had submitted a request asking the Richland Police Department to investigate "the actions of eight airplane hangar owners at the Richland Airport as well as three port commissioners." Pratt said he had "reason to believe that these individuals may have committed, authorized, solicited, aided, or abetted in the defrauding of a public utility" and cited a state statute as the possible felony basis for investigation.

Marie Noirani, another Richland resident, asked the council to support an investigation and possible recall of Port of Benton commissioners. She argued that prior outside investigators had found a commissioner had violated port policies and state laws and said two other commissioners had "ratified those findings with a vote of no action," which she said warranted further action from the city. "The people of Richland who have suffered damages by the actions of the port commissioners in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars of uncollected revenue deserve more," Noirani said.

Both speakers framed their requests as matters of equity and enforcement, asking that the council consider referrals to the appropriate investigative authorities and pursue restitution where applicable. The mayor thanked the speakers; no formal council action or motion to investigate was recorded during the meeting.

Council members did not respond with specific next steps during the public-comment period recorded in the transcript. The City Clerk’s public-comment instructions read to the audience before comments made clear that public comments are "official on the record communication" but not a substitute for formal evidence and that topics raised may be referred to the city manager for follow-up.