By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

EAST END - The manager of city-owned Lunken Airport was put on leave with pay Monday pending the outcome of an administrative investigation regarding alleged violations of the city's e-mail policy.

Manager Dan Dickten wrote in an April 19 e-mail to David Cimo, president of JetLink Express Inc., of Chicago that he was going to "kick (the) ass" of Councilman John Cranley.

JetLink is hoping to begin scheduled passenger service at Lunken. Cranley has proposed banning commercial service at Lunken.

Dickten wrote Cimo about Cranley's proposal: "This guy is actually trying to ban all scheduled service into LUK (airport designation for Lunken) ... I am going to kick his ass."

But in an apology Dickten wrote Monday to the city, he said he didn't mean physical harm to the councilman.

"I was referring to the outcome of the process itself," Dickten wrote, referring to the current struggle in Cincinnati over Lunken's future and commercial service.

The city began investigating Dickten's e-mails after Cranley learned of them Friday and went to City Manager Valerie Lemmie. The Cincinnati Enquirer obtained them via a public records request. Violations of the city's Internet and e-mail policy can result in discipline up to and including dismissal.

Dickten, airport manager since 1998, wrote the apology in an e-mail to his supervisor, Eileen Enabnit, director of the city's department of transportation and engineering. He declined comment Friday on his e-mails and again Monday.

"In reference to the article in this morning's Cincinnati Enquirer, I apologize for the awkward position that my poor judgment in e-mail communications has placed the city administration," Dickten wrote. "The tone of several of these messages was inappropriate and should not have been put in written words."

Dickten also wrote that he has become frustrated with "the politics and deliberate misinformation involved in the whole issue.''

The e-mail controversy comes as Cincinnati City Council continues a debate over Lunken's future. Airport users want to modernize and expand the municipal airfield, while neighbors worry primarily about increased noise and scheduled passenger service starting.

Last year, City Council steered a committee considering a master plan away from allowing scheduled commercial flights and toward addressing east-side residents' noise concerns.

According to a 2002 council ordinance, the city isn't supposed to actively seek any scheduled passenger service at Lunken.

In one series of emails, Dickten tries to get Vacation Express of Atlanta to operate from Lunken instead of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. He was unsuccessful.

In his e-mail Monday, Dickten denied "aggressively seeking commercial service" and said his discussions with operators have been in response to their inquiries from several years ago.

In another e-mail, Dickten refers to the Lunken Neighborhood Coalition as "Lunken Haters." He also filed a complaint April 29 against the citizen group's chairman, Indian Hill pilot Robert "Salty" Roark, after Roark told residents he supports Cranley's proposal to ban passenger service.

Dickten filed the complaint with Roark's former employer, DHL Worldwide Express, a Lunken user. Roark now works for a company at the international airport whose main customer is DHL.

In his complaint to DHL, Dickten writes: "Please stop this individual from participating in this scheme to degrade activities at Lunken Airport and lending his expertise to others to do the same. This is a very poor reflection on DHL and the aviation industry as a whole."

Roark said the e-mails were disappointing, especially the complaint Dickten filed.

"I thought we were involved in a civil debate, not a street fight," Roark said. "I just feel like this is out of bounds. I feel like I have the right to speak out..."

Cranley also criticized Dickten's complaint against Roark.

"These e-mails show he is using his city e-mail and power to try to personally retaliate against Salty for his political opinions. It's outrageous and goes against the constitution," Cranley said.

But Dickten is popular with airport users, and works "seven days a week," says David MacDonald, president of Flamingo Air at Lunken.

"The man eats, sleeps and drinks this airport. It's his absolute heart and soul," MacDonald said Monday. "Irregardless of what's going on, he has the best interest of the airport at heart."

Some residents and airport users called Dickten's suspension Monday out of line.

"I don't support everything Dan does but he runs a very good airport," said David Rattenbury of Anderson Township and a flight instructor at the airport. "He sees it as his job to promote the active use of the airport for the benefit of the community."

City Councilman James Tarbell said that when Dickten took over Lunken, the city's historic 75-year-old airfield was languishing and he revitalized it.

Tarbell said the city's pro-growth, then anti-growth stance at Lunken must have been confusing for Dickten or any other administrator.

Mike Brenner, who was supervisor of operations at Lunken, was appointed acting airport manager.

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James Pilcher of the Enquirer contributed to this report.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com