Since I became a County Commissioner in January of 2020 I have had the pleasure and privilege to serve as a member of the Joint Board of Managers at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, representing the interests of Lackawanna County and all the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

I have served as Chairperson of this Board on two prior occasions and am now currently serving as its Chair.

Recently, the Executive Director of the Airport resigned resulting in a vacancy in the position. As a result, the Board initiated a search for a new Executive Director. The Board retained the services of an independent executive search company that specializes in recruitment of key airport personnel.

As long as I can remember, I have loved airplanes and the aviation industry. My father is a pilot and I dreamed about fl ying, and when I was old enough, I took fl ying lessons and ultimately obtained my private pilots license. A certifi cation which I have proudly held for almost forty years. When I became a commissioner and a member of the airport board I was thrilled to be involved in the operations of the airport and the aviation industry.

When this position became open, I did some soul-searching and had many conversations with my family and friends. As a result, I made the decision to submit my application for the Executive Director position. As a result, and to ensure the integrity of the process, I immediately notified the Airport Board and Airport Solicitors and completely removed myself from all aspects of the selection process.

On June 12th of this year I was notified by a representative of the executive search company that I was still a candidate under consideration for the position. As a result, I felt the responsibility to protect the integrity of the selection process and made the decision to temporarily step down from my position as a member of the Board.

Today, at an executive session of the Airport Board I notified the board members and the solicitors that I was taking a leave of absence from the Board until a new Executive Director is hired.

Therefore, I am publicly announcing that effective today I will temporarily remove myself as a member of the Airport Board and its Chairperson until such time as the current process of selecting a new Executive Director is concluded.

My representation as a Lackawanna County Commissioner remains unchanged. I will continue to represent the residents of Lackawanna County and discharge my duties to the best of my ability and in accordance with the oath I swore.