THUMB AWARD Flying Blind At D/FW?

Thumbs down to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport board for awarding a $5.9 million contract to a construction company that was recently indicted on charges of tampering with government records in connection with construc-tion work at the airport. Without public discussion, on June 3 the board awarded a paving contract to the H. B. Zachry Co., despite the fact that the company and a former project engineer were indicted in connection with a nine-month investigation of construction irregularities at the airport. Board chairman William Weatherford said the board had no reason to withhold awarding of the contract because the company had yet to be convicted and because the firm had done good work in the past. Certainly, our system of justice holds an individual innocent until proven guilty, but the board could find itself in an uncomfortable public position if the company is convicted.