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HomeMy WebLinkAbout25.03.13 - Minutes, Hag Regional AirportHagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2025 Page 1 of 4 HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION Minutes of the Open Meeting March 13, 2025 The Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission (AAC) held a public meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hagerstown Regional Airport Terminal Conference Room, 18434 Showalter Road, Hagerstown, Maryland. Commission members present: Austin Colby (Chair), Curtis Berry (Vice Chair), Randal Leatherman, Laurence Gross, Samuel Cool, George Stone, George Meyer and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall Wagner. County staff members present included Andrew Eshleman (Director of Public Works), Neil Doran (Airport Director), Jonathan Horowitz (Director of Business Development), Gene Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager), Tina Smith (Airline Station Leader), Giselle Butt (Office Manager) and David Douglas (Administrative Assistant). CALL TO ORDER Austin Colby called the meeting to order on March 13, 2025, at 3:01 pm. CITIZEN’S PARTICIPATION None. No visitors were in attendance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion was made by Mr. Leatherman and seconded by Mr. Cool to approve the minutes of the February 13th, 2025, meeting. The motion passed unanimously. AIRPORT DIRECTOR’S REPORT Neil Doran, Airport Director, provided his report including Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) is moving forward with our annual marketing efforts to include radio spots. We are working with Volaire Marketing and Ogden Digital, who owns several newspapers in the surrounding area. We are going to geofence our marketing around area colleges and universities. Our goal is also to have “price point” ads to show how affordable it is to fly Allegiant from HGR. The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore /Washington International Airport (BWI) and Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) is departing to take a position in Atlanta. HGR sees this as an opportunity to have open communications with the new Director and help them understand the airport structure in Maryland and their responsibility to adequately fund the state- matching/grant project needs for an entire state-wide system of airports. Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2025 Page 2 of 4 In March, on a trial basis, HGR is adjusting some of the staff’s schedules to provide more coverage on the weekends. HGR is also adjusting the hours of some part-time fire fighters so there can be a daily overnight firefighter on duty. Mr. Doran wanted to thank Commissioner Wagner and the Board of County Commissioners for the letter of support related to the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) replacement concept. HGR is still pursuing state funding for a replacement tower. Mr. Doran met with Charles Thorton, a planner for the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS). Mr. Thorton will advise the airport on leases and how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-owned equipment in the existing tower could potentially be transferred over to a new replacement tower. HGR is collecting, on average, $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 a day in terminal parking revenue. Overall, parking has been well received with only a few complaints. HGR is also developing a system to invoice guests who drive off without paying. Comparing Summer 2024 to Summer 2025 there is a 46.3% growth in the number of seats available for the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport (PIE) flights. Overall, there is a 14.5% increase in seats available for all destinations and a 11.4% increase in flight segments. These increases will contribute to additional Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), parking and snack bar revenue. Due to additional snack bar sales, HGR is updating our point of sales system, Clover, to accommodate this increase. HGR is also updating signage around the airport. HGR is coordinating with TSA to collect payment for employees parking in the parking lot during their shift. If the overnight part-time firefighter becomes a more permanent arrangement – the airport will investigate the possibility of a single staff iPhone that can receive calls from the parking lot intercom so parking issues can be addressed in- person afterhours. HGR is also looking into the possibility of partnering with an affordable, third- party answering service to further assist guest needs at the parking gates. AIRPORT OPERATIONS REPORT Mr. Bolanowski, Airport Operations & Security Manager, provided his report including that the airfield painting and rubber removal project is scheduled for April 13th - April 17th, 2025. There will be airfield closures during this time and the airport has sent out emails and phone communications to tenants and will send additional email reminders closer to the project start date. Airport badge renewals are also underway. Mr. Bolanowski stated that there have been two instances where guests left without paying their parking fee. Mr. Bolanowski is working with the county attorney and budget and finance departments to develop a system to invoice guests for payment. Since February 19th, parking revenue grossed $28,110.00 and netted $27,045.00. All airport staff ID/proximity badges have been programed and should allow for shift access at the parking lot entry and exit gates. Lastly, a few school tours have been scheduled for late March. Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2025 Page 3 of 4 AIRLINE SERVICES UPDATE Ms. Smith, Airline Services Leader, provided her report including that cross training of her staff is going very well. She has two interviews this week for one open position. Ms. Smith is also closely working with the county’s Human Resources department, learning more about management responsibilities and making further improvements to her team. COMMISIONER UPDATE Mr. Wagner, County Commissioner, provided his report including that the FY26 budgets have been submitted and are under review. Mr. Wagner stated the budget will be tight because of many unfunded State and Federal mandates affecting Washington County. Mr. Wagner also welcomed George Meyer to the commission and congratulated Mr. Berry and Mr. Gross on their reappointments to the AAC. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Mr. Horowitz, Director of Business Development, provided updates on current projects including:  Had some conversations with Perini Properties Corp, owner of properties/parcels directly south of the airport along Showalter Road.  A Wawa gas station/convenience store is under construction on Pennsylvania Avenue near Maugansville Road.  Lifetime Brands, Inc. is coming to MD Route 63.  Stratosphere Social, an entertainment venue for all ages, will be coming to Sharpsburg Pike.  Hitachi Rail is expanding their manufacturing plant to include an international sales headquarters and a technology demonstration lab.  Barrell Bodega-Valley Liquors is moving into the old Chucky E. Cheese space at the Valley Mall. The new location will include an experience center with cigar rolling and Michelin Star Chef classes.  Working with the proposed Cannabis business pursuing a lease in the New Heights Industrial Park.  Buc-ee’s is potentially looking to move into Art’s Farm off Interstate 70 and Dual Highway.  The Mexicali Cantina restaurant is being replaced by a First Watch at Valley Plaza.  NewCold, a cold storage facility, is going by the Amazon on East Oak Ridge Drive. On March 25th Jim Kercheval, president of the Greater Hagerstown Committee, has organized a tour of Hagerstown city projects and the airport for Carl Anderton, Maryland State Commerce Director of Rural Strategy. Mr. Doran has been invited to give a presentation on Aero Defense. Harry Coker, Maryland’s Secretary of Commerce and Brooke Lierman, Maryland’s Comptroller, will also be touring Washington County within the next few weeks. Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2025 Page 4 of 4 Mr. Horowitz briefed the AAC on efforts of County staff to obtain additional information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on recent testing of soils and the installation of monitoring wells in locations near the Historic Fairchild property. Discussion also was held regarding a delay to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) expansion project. The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring additional planning actions to further update HGR’s Airport Layout Plan (ALP) to depict the expanded PIA facilities and to perform a Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) safety analysis given the proximity to Runway 02-20. In addition, the FAA is requiring that an updated and/or more recent NEPA environmental document be prepared and approved by FAA officials prior to the start of construction. AAC MEMBER UPDATES Mr. Colby welcomed the new member, George Meyer, and congratulated Mr. Gross and Mr. Berry on their appointments to serve a second term on the AAC. Mr. Colby informed the board that the Hagerstown Aviation Museum (HAM) is still planning the 100th anniversary celebration of the Fairchild Aviation Corporation/Fairchild Aircraft Manufacturing Company here in Hagerstown. HAM personnel are working/coordinating with the airport and anticipate some 10,000 guests to be in attendance. Expect there to be an A-10 aircraft demonstration and a live aircraft on display. We are hoping to receive the A10 during the Fairchild 100th anniversary pending completion of the Air Force Museum certification process. The museum also signed a contract with Morgan-Keller, Inc., a construction firm. for renovations at the museum to begin in July 2025. Work shall include special exhibit areas, new classrooms, office and administrative spaces and the museum’s manufacturing exhibit. Museum representatives will also be attending “Oshkosh”, an annual air show held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) will also highlight the HAM and celebrate Fairchild’s 100th year anniversary. ADJOURNMENT Motion made to adjourn by Mr. Cool. Motion was seconded by Mr. Gross. The meeting was adjourned at 4:21 p.m.