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Former Austin airport CEO violated City code with conflict of interest, according to investigation

Jacqueline Yaft resigned from her position in March.

AUSTIN, Texas — A new investigative report from the City of Austin's auditor shows that the former CEO of the Austin airport violated City code by having a conflict of interest that she didn't properly disclose.

In December 2021, the city auditor received a concern that Jacqueline Yaft had been involved in an aviation contract with her previous employer, a consulting firm that serves as an Aviation Department vendor. Yaft's role with the airport was to oversee the daily operations at the airport; construction and development of the airport; and budget and financial concerns. 

The investigative report states that the auditor's office found Yaft had participated in the approval process of four separate invoices from her previous employer, which totaled $550,000. The report states that Yaft violated City code by acting on a conflict of interest, as she had made money from the contractor prior to being a City employee; met alone with the contractor at least seven times; and exchanged at least 13 emails as the only Austin airport employee in the thread.

Furthermore, the report details that Yaft violated the City code by failing to "disclose the conflict in writing to her supervisor" and not filing such disclosure until September 2022 – three years after she was required to do.

Before Yaft's tenure with the airport beginning in June 2019, she worked with a consulting firm from October 2018 to May 2019. In this time, she made around $200,000 annually and, because she earned more than $5,000 in the previous year at the firm, she had "a substantial interest in the firm as defined by City Code when she began working for the City," the report details.

The firm Yaft worked for had an agreement with the City prior to her tenure, meaning that upon her hiring by the City, she had a conflict of interest. 

During the investigation, Yaft agreed to the City's Law Department disclosing records provided to her. Those records include guidance from the department in June 2019 stating that Yaft must recuse herself from any "decision-making related to her former employment." The guidance stated that Yaft could receive advice from the contractor as part of her job, but could not take action that would create a perception of "impropriety," according to the report. 

Furthermore, the auditor found that Yaft had also served as a professional reference for her previous employer at least twice while serving as a City employee. The first occasion was assisting with a professional reference during a contract bidding process in December 2020, and the second occurred in April 2021 with Yaft providing a letter of recommendation to her former employer. 

Yaft resigned from her position as CEO of the Austin airport last month.

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