The Presque Isle City Council has reversed its new policy requiring consideration of bids for the airport's Essential Air Service bids to take place in executive session.
Municipal officials said the city's airport director had suggested the closed-door policy as a way to make the process more efficient.
The council approved the policy in a 3-2 vote earlier this month, but the city attorney warned that it violated Maine's Freedom of Access Act. Councilors unanimously agreed to rescind the policy Wednesday.
Harold Hull is one of the councilors that originally voted in support of the policy.
"I can admit when I made a mistake, and I made a mistake on this," he said. "I misunderstood some elements of the policy and I should have asked more questions and done more due diligence."
The Essential Air Service is a federal Department of Transportation program designed to connect smaller airports by offering per passenger subsidies to airlines.
Hull said he misunderstood the policy and should have scrutinized it more thoroughly.
"And that is my fault, and I'm sorry for that," he said. "Ultimately if there are questions of legality and transparency, I think we should rescind rather than double down."
