HomeMy WebLinkAbout24.02.08 - Minutes, Hag Regional AirportHagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of February 08, 2024 Page 1 of 3
HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes of the Open Meeting
February 8, 2024 The Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission held a public meeting on Thursday,
February 08, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hagerstown Regional Airport Terminal Conference Room,
18434 Showalter Road, Hagerstown, Maryland.
Commission members present: Austin Colby (Vice Chair), Curtis Berry, Samuel Cool, George
Stone, Randal Leatherman, and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall Wagner. County
staff-members present included Jonathan Horowitz (Director of Business Development),
Andrew Eshleman (Director of Public Works); Neil Doran (Airport Director); Gene
Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager) and Tina Smith (Airline Station Leader).
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Colby called the meeting to order on February 08, 2024, at 3:03 pm.
CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
None. No visitors were in attendance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion made by Mr. Cool and seconded by Mr. Berry to approve the minutes of the January 11th,
2024, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Introduction of Ms. Tina Smith as our new Airline Station Leader.
CLOSED SESSION
Motion made by Mr. Cool and seconded by Mr. Stone to enter closed session at 3:06 PM, to discuss a
preliminary matter that concerns a proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand,
or remain in the State. The motion passed unanimously. The members present during closed session were Austin Colby (Vice Chair), Curtis Berry, Samuel Cool, George Stone, Randal Leatherman, and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall Wagner.
County staff-members present: Jonathan Horowitz (Director of Business Development), Andrew
Eshleman (Director of Public Works), Neil Doran (Airport Director), Gene Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager) and Tina Smith (Airline Station Leader). RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION:
Motion made by Mr. Cool and seconded by Mr. Leatherman, to reconvene in open session at 3:43
PM. The motion passed unanimously.
AIRPORT DIRECTOR’S REPORT Mr. Doran reported the following:
• Thanks to Mr. Stone for his willingness to serve an additional 3-year term. His appointment has been approved by the Board of County Commissioners.
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of February 08, 2024 Page 2 of 3
• An updated Fire Department logo will be presented before the BOCC.
• Commendation for Danny Shirley, Jordan Leach and Gene Bolanowski for their help in keeping the airport bills paid and to process the mail in the interim period while our two business office positions remain unfilled.
• New hires: Tina Smith as Airline Station Leader. India Feaster-PT Airline Customer Service
Rep, Jeena Fanelli-Snack Bar Cashier, Bryan Genesse - FT Airport Maintenance Worker/Firefighter. Four more positions to fill: Administrative Assistant, Office Associate, PT Maintenance Worker, Airline Station Customer Service Rep.
• Snow Team working 16–20-hour days during winter storm events. Plowing snow,
POTUS/FLOTUS operations, deicing business jets, airline flights, etc. Well done!
• Air Cargo data reported for CY23. HGR is the 138th busiest cargo airport in the US.
• Terminal Roof repair project – received a bid, moving forward.
• Quarterly meeting with Ashish Solanki, MAA Regional Aviation Assistance (RAA).
• State Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) monies for aviation purposes are being distributed to the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA). This is an entity which owns BWI and Martin State airports. We are seeing cuts to the MAA’s RAA assistance program for 16 airports not
owned by the MAA. According to the FAA’s NPIAS, approximately 25% of the eligible projects in the state are not owned by the MAA or Baltimore-area airports. Briefed Bruce Bereano, lobbyist for the County and Senator Corderman on the situation and he will speak with chairs of different legislative committees.
• Working on a rebate program with Potomac Edison CLEAResult – on our upcoming airfield
LED lighting project.
• Thanks to Mr. Leatherman, who gave an Exchange club talk on January 25th.
• Install of new logos around the terminal and airport.
• Meeting about t-hangar development with a developer.
• Mr. Eshleman reported an update on the department of commerce grant for the northwest
quadrant utility project.
OPERATIONS REPORT
Mr. Bolanowski reported the following:
• January 13th and 15th. Multiple POTUS/FLOTUS operations associated with Camp David.
• Attended NTSB Family Assistance Plan Training at Dulles airport.
• February - April 2024 Airport Re-badging cycle.
• June 2024 – Airport Staff Training months, increased flights.
• Gene worked with Nick Reihner at IT to develop a Laserfiche-based software tool for possible replacement of the Veoci platform. With anticipated cost-savings, working to implement new
software for airport badging purposes. HGR could see a drastic increase in the number of
airport users required to become badged with a future change in TSA Classification from Category IV to III. COUNTY COMMISIONERS UPDATE
Mr. Wagner reported the following:
• State of the County 2023, Chamber event.
• Discussed Maryland State Mandates and associated budget cuts.
• Continued development in the County “Things are good”.
• Large Capital needs: Roads, Bridges, Courthouse, Jail, Schools, Patrol Center, Water Infrastructure. Anticipated need for some belt-tightening in the future.
• Praised County staff efforts.
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Meeting Minutes of February 08, 2024 Page 3 of 3
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT
Mr. Horowitz reported the following:
• Foreign Trade Zone report.
• Groundhog day event.
• Briefing on other local industrial client updates. MEMBERS COMMENTS None.
Mr. Leatherman needed to leave the meeting at 4:23 p.m., which would leave the commission without
the required quorum to continue.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Cool made a motion, seconded by Mr. Berry to adjourn the meeting at 4:24 p.m. The motion
passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Neil Doran, Airport Director