HomeMy WebLinkAbout25.11.13 - Minutes, Hag Regional Airport Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of November 13, 2025
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HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes of the Open Meeting
November 13, 2025
The Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission (AAC)held a public meeting on Thursday,
November 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), Sam Cool, Aaron
Vittini and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall Wagner. County staff members present
included Andrew Eshleman(Director of Public Works),Neil Doran(Airport Director), Gene
Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager), Jonathan Horowitz(Director, Business
Development), 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 November 13, 2025, at 3:04 pm.
CITIZEN'S PARTICIPATION
None. No visitors were in attendance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Mr. Cool and seconded by Mr. Berry to approve the minutes of the
September 11, 2025, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
AIRPORT DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Neil Doran,Airport Director,provided his report including:
➢ Presented the Air Carrier Incentives Plan to the business communities in Berkley and
Franklin counties.
➢ Potential meeting with Avelo airlines.
➢ Received favorable feedback for Landline, a motorcoach bus service, from the acting
Secretary of Transportation, Ms. Bittle, during the Maryland Department of Transportation
(MDOT) Tour presentation on October 9tn
➢ Had a meeting with Maryland's Advanced Air Mobility including Bruce Poole and John
Porcari. Shanetta Griffin, Executive Director/CEO of Maryland Aviation Administration
(MAA), also attended that meeting.
➢ Meeting with Greg Snook, President and CEO of the Washington County Industrial
Foundation(CHIEF) to seek appraisals regarding the possible purchase of Nick's Airport Inn
and Civil Air Patrol. Also, meeting was held with the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) and ADCI about these possible land acquisitions.
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of November 13, 2025
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➢ Pre Check enrollment event sponsored by CLEAR was held on 10/20.
➢ Kurt Fuellhart, former professor at Shippensburg University and airline consultant, created a
passenger profile report for Hagerstown Regional Airport(HGR)
➢ Meeting with the Quad-State Economic Partnership to discuss the need for collaboration to
create a name for the four-state area as an economic block.
➢ HGR had a staff and tenants meet and greet event on 10/28.
➢ Marketing efforts will begin using the Appalachian Regional Commission(ARC) grant.
➢ Mr. Doran thanked the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County (BOCC) for
approving airline ground support equipment.
➢ HGR hopes to demolish two residential properties this winter.
AIRPORT OPERATIONS REPORT
Mr. Bolanowski, Airport Operations & Security Manager, provided his report including:
➢ Wings and Wheels was held on 9/13 at Hagerstown Aviation Museum (HAM)
➢ Airport staff completed Wildlife Hazard Training in September
➢ HGR conducted a counter Unmanned Aerial System(UAS) drill with Transportation Security
Administration(TSA)
➢ HangarFest, a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness, was held on September 20th at the Rider
Jet Center(RJC)
➢ The airport supported a Vice-Presidential movement on 9/21
➢ On 9/22 the Hagerstown Aviation Museum received the Fairchild A-10 for permanent
display
➢ HGR conducted an internal Aviation Security Drill with TSA
➢ On 10/26 the airport hosted a therapy dog training session to acclimate the dogs to the check
points
➢ The Aviation Education and Career Expo was held on November 7th. $190,000 in
scholarships were given away during the expo.
➢ Mr. Bolanowski will be attending the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)
Security Summit in Washington, D.0 December 9th and loth
AIRLINE SERVICES UPDATE
Ms. Smith, Airline Station Leader,provided her report including:
➢ Praised TSA for continuing to do a great job during the government shutdown
➢ Stephen Hadley,Airline Lead Cross Utilized Agent, who was hired two months ago, is doing
a wonderful job
➢ Two airport staff members were trained in Sanford on ground security training
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of November 13, 2025
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Still have two open positions that need to be filled
COMMISIONER UPDATE
Mr. Wagner, County Commissioner,provided his report including there are only four County
Commissioners' meetings remaining for 2025. Each of the five commissioners attended a variety of
Veteran's Day events on 11/11. The commissioners spoke in favor of a replacement Airport Traffic
Control Tower at a recent legislative meeting.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Mr. Horowitz, Director of Business Development, provided his report including:
➢ Mr. Horowitz will be attending Day in Annapolis on January 27th, 2026.
➢ Tomu, a modular production facility in the New Heights Industrial Park, has filed for
bankruptcy. There is interest in purchasing and continuing the operation.
➢ A marijuana grow facility is moving into the front of the New Heights Industrial Park
building
➢ Program Insite, a nitril glove manufacturer, is having a pre ribbon cutting event on November
21 St.
AAC MEMBER UPDATES
Mr. Colby spoke about attending the pre legislation forum to ask for$1.5 million for purchase an
executive hangar in the New Heights Industrial Park for the Hagerstown Aviation Museum(HAM).
The goal is to move the Civil Air Patrol in with HAM and to grow the community center. Wings and
Wheels and the arrival of the Fairchild A-10, events held at HAM, grossed more than$60,000.00.
First Breach, an ammunition component manufacturer,joined partnership with ideaForge, a drone
manufacturer, to create the third largest drone manufacturing company in the world. Drone operations
are scheduled to be up and running by the end 2025.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion made to adjourn by Mr. Cool. Motion was seconded by Mr. Vittini. The meeting was
adjourned at 3:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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David Douglas, Administrative Assistant