Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly is facing his first challenge at building consensus since his powers were enhanced.

Kelly will chair his first Executive Committee meeting tomorrow after Council stripped Mayor Rob Ford of most of his powers. And the most contentious issue will be the Porter expansion plan.

A staff report is recommending Council delay until 2015 considering Porter’s proposal to expand Billy Bishop’s main runway to accommodate jet traffic. Staff say there are still too many questions.

Kelly wants to see the Porter plan go ahead. He says he’s been considering how to proceed with the economic benefits of an expanded airport while addressing the concerns of other city councillors.

Kelly will recommend to the Executive that Porter’s expansion be given conditional approval. But Councillor Peter Milczyn will introduce a motion that Porter’s plans be burried.

Meanwhile, Porter is said to be sweetening the deal by suggesting a passenger levy to cover expansion costs.