The tabling of a resolution that would have paved the way to move City Manager Paul Sparks to a full-time position as port authority director disappointed a local group.

&uot;I think it is tricky politics,&uot; Tom Leland, a local developer who is spearheading a group that does not want Sparks to become the port authority director, said.

Leland said he, and a group of area business people, developers and concerned citizens, are unhappy that the resolution may get tabled.

He wrote in a statement that he felt the recommendation by Sparks to table the resolution was done, &uot;to keep this proposed action under the radar screen so that it goes through without a full public hearing at some time when the council and he meet the least opposition.&uot;

Councilman Warren Amundson said the issue has been blown out of proportion.

&uot;We haven’t really discussed that yet,&uot; he said. &uot;We were just going to go through some discussions on it.&uot;

Leland had encouraged the public to attend Thursday’s pre-agenda meeting when the council was first to discuss the issue, in an advertisement early last week. More than 70 citizens attended.

Sparks and Mayor Jean Eaton recommended Thursday night to table the item because the timeliness of the Premium Pork agreements and discussions.

Eaton said that the city should have consistency in who the company deals with throughout the process.

Leland also criticized the council for putting thought to having two positions that would pay more than $90,000 &045; both the city manager position and the port authority director’s position&045; in a time of budget crisis.

Amundson said the money for the port authority director’s position would come out of the port authority funds, not the city’s.

&uot;It wouldn’t affect the city budget at all,&uot; he said.

There was also criticism of putting Sparks in charge of the Port Authority, saying it would give too much power to a non-elected official.

Leland is working on the Wal-Mart supercenter development. He and the city had a dispute recently on the project. Sparks has speculated that Leland is reacting to that dispute with his current criticism.

Leland said his condemnation of the council’s action isn’t a direct reaction to that dispute, but rather &uot;20 years of dealing with Paul.&uot;

Amundson disagrees.

&uot;I think it’s personal with him,&uot; he said.

After Leland’s advertisement appeared, council members and Sparks confirmed that they were considering taking Sparks out of the city

manager job and making him full-time head of the port authority, which is the city’s economic-development arm.

The council could table the resolution on Monday or discuss it.

Sparks, as well as Mayor Jean Eaton, could not be reached for comment Friday and Saturday.