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HomeMy WebLinkAbout24.09.05 - Minutes, Hag Regional AirportHagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2024 Page 1 of 4 HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION Minutes of the Open Meeting September 5, 2024 The Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission held a public meeting on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hagerstown Regional Airport Terminal Conference Room, 18434 Showalter Road, Hagerstown, Maryland. Commission members present: Rob Ferree (Chair), Austin Colby (Vice Chair), Curtis Berry, Randal Leatherman, George Stone, Laurence Gross and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall Wagner. County staff members present included Neil Doran (Airport Director), Gene Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager), Jonathan Horowitz (Director of Business Development), Tina Smith (Airline Station Leader), Giselle Butt (Office Manager) and David Douglas (Administrative Assistant). CALL TO ORDER Rob Ferree called the meeting to order on September 5, 2024, at 3:01 pm. CITIZEN’S PARTICIPATION Carolyn Motz and Tom Riford were present representing the Rider Jet Center. Mr. Riford spoke about the various events at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum (HAM) including Wings and Wheels taking place on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 10am-4pm, and the 17th annual HangarFest taking place on September 21, 2024, from 6pm-11pm. HangarFest is the largest breast cancer fundraising event in four states. Rider Jet Center, located at Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR), is also hosting the largest aviation career expo in four states called the Aviation Education and Career Expo. The event will be held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 9am-2pm. Sixty-five vendors, including aviation manufacturing companies, will be present to showcase their products and speak with attendees regarding job opportunities. In the past seventeen years the expo has provided 1.8 million in scholarships to high school seniors and college students. Carolyn Motz stated construction of the new maintenance bay at the Rider Jet Center will be completed in the next several weeks. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion was made by Mr. Leatherman and seconded by Mr. Colby to approve the minutes of the July 11th, 2024, meeting. The motion passed unanimously. Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2024 Page 2 of 4 AIRPORT DIRECTOR’S REPORT Neil Doran, Airport Director, provided his report including that the Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) was featured in two news stories. The first was with Tamela Baker with the Herald Mail and the second was with Steven Cohen of WDVM-TV. HGR also completed annual inspections with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA). Mr. Doran and Mr. Eshleman, Director of Public Works, are headed to Las Vegas for the Allegiant Conference at the end of September. Mr. Doran met with TSA official Jill Thrash to discuss staffing needs for the potential Landline project and various requirements and recommendations for the airport. Mr. Doran and Mr. Eshleman met with Volaire, HGR’s Air Service Development consultant, and Landline to discuss opportunities to work with American Airlines on a Landline operation potentially connecting with the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Mr. Doran also held a meeting with Senator Corderman to update him on the Landline project. Mr. Doran and Mr. Eshleman are continuing their quarterly meetings with the Rider Jet Center representatives. HGR’s administrative office is hoping to install a Clover POS machine to ease and facilitate the collection of additional revenue. Also, an online web portal system is in the works, so tenants have a more convenient way to pay hangar rent, residential property rent and fees. HGR has applied, for the third year in a row, for funding to expand the east side of the airport terminal under the BIL-ATP program. Mr. Doran was able to speak with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) engineer regarding this expansion and HGR is hopeful that this may be their best chance for selection. The local campus of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) is hiring a new director and will be taking bids related to the construction of their expansion project in October or November. HGR should also start seeing revenue from the Passenger Facility Fee (PFC) on or sometime before February 2025. New state-of-the-art, next-generation radios were supplied to the HGR Fire Department thanks to a project approved by the Washington County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and initiated by the Department of Emergency Services (DES). Thank you to the Department of Highways for installing a silt fence around the spoil pile at the airport. Airport staff learned that Allegiant is pulling operations out of Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on January 5th. How this is going to affect operations at HGR is not currently known. Avis should be signing a new lease to remain in the airport terminal sometime before the Spring of 2025. Washington County engineering is assisting the airport by handling the procurement steps involved in the installation of ticketing/revenue collection machines needed for the terminal parking lots. The airport snack bar has surpassed budget expectations and in the month of July 2024, surpassed $30,000 in revenue. A celebration of the 15th anniversary of LifeNet, the medical helicopter operation based at HGR, will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, from 3-5pm at the Rider Jet Center. Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2024 Page 3 of 4 The Maryland Aviation Administration’s Economic Impact Study was completed but is only a partial picture of HGR activity. The study did not include or calculate any impacts of off-airport properties such as the several business park properties immediately adjacent, including New Heights. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) was awarded three government contracts totaling $1.715 billion to develop next generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems for the U.S. Army and other military clients using jet aircraft. AIRPORT OPERATIONS REPORT Mr. Bolanowski, Airport Operations & Security Manager, provided his report including the online airport badging platform known “AirBadge” is up and running. Most badge holders have been registered in the system. Many constructions projects are underway at the airport including the Runway 09/27 signage and lighting upgrade, Taxiway F rehabilitation, Taxiway C Object Free Area project, and refresh to much of the airfield’s painted markings. HGR has had a few operations in support of the President of the United States (POTUS) during the month of August. “Digicast”, an American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) web-based on-demand training system, is up and running. This system allows for customize training courses specifically for the needs of the airport and our airport badge holders. An annual snow and ice control committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 12, 2024. This is a virtual meeting to update everyone on the snow and ice plan before the onset of winter. HGR is also celebrating its staff by holding an employment appreciation BBQ on September 12th. AIRLINE SERVICES UPDATE Ms. Smith, Airline Services Leader, provided her report including details on the busy summer schedule with only two cancelled flights occurring due to the global IT outage in July and the tropical storm Debby in early August. Airport staff is preparing to receive Allegiant’s newly acquired 737 Max aircraft within the next sixty days. The frequency for these new aircraft visits will be integrated into the Allegiant flight schedule and could occur as often as every other flight. Staff is preparing for de-icing operations that sometimes occur during the winter months. Ms. Smith is also working on hiring a few more positions to fill all open positions. COUNTY COMMISIONER UPDATE Mr. Wagner, County Commissioner, provided his report including an update on county projects and continue efforts to fill various County staffing positions. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Mr. Horowitz, Director of Business Development, provided his report including magazine publications in the trade and industry magazines to promote the foreign trade center program and general county marketing. October is manufacturing month, and the business development Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2024 Page 4 of 4 department will be putting together Faces of Farming style videos for social media to showcase the various manufacturing that lives in Washington County. Groundhog Day celebration will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025, and this year it will be a family friendly event with fun activities for the kids. Kelsey Keadle has taken over for Leslie Hart as Business Specialist Agriculture. Washington County is looking for candidates for Farm of the Year and farm owners who gross $2,500.00 or more a year are welcome to apply. Mr. Horowitz attended the International Council of Shopping Center conference in downtown DC at the beginning of September. Mr. Horowitz gave an updated on potential new restaurants and retail brands interested in coming to Hagerstown. Washington County is working on revising the incentive program to attract more manufacturing and healthcare industries. AAC MEMBER UPDATES Mr. Colby spoke regarding Wings and Wheels on September 14, 2024, from 10am-4pm. The gates will open early at 9am for free Young Eagle flights. Mr. Colby expects around 5,000 people to be in attendance. There will be an official Grand Opening ribbon cutting ceremony and aircraft dedication. ADJOURNMENT Motion made to adjourn by Mr. Colby. Motion was seconded by Mr. Gross. The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.