Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak has temporarily left his airport board seat because he's a candidate to become the airport's new executive director.
Chermak, the board's chairman, made the announcement to fellow Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport board members during a private session before the board’s meeting Thursday.
After the board’s public meeting, Chermak refused to confirm he’s stepping aside as a board member temporarily and again refused to say he’s a candidate for the airport’s top job. But he promised a statement later in the day and that statement confirmed the temporary leave and his candidacy. It was the first time he confirmed he's a candidate despite months of refusing to say.
"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," Chermak said in the statement. "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."
Chermak said a representative of the company helping the airport search for candidates told him June 12 that he remained "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," he said.
He said he will "temporarily remove myself" as a board member until the director search ends.
Chermak, who managed his family's automobile business before becoming a commissioner, obtained his private pilot's license almost 40 years ago.
"As long as I can remember, I have loved airplanes and the aviation industry," he said in the statement. "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.
The commissioner confirmed the search for a new executive director in mid-March. Former executive director Carl Beardsley Jr. took a sabbatical leave in November. In March, Chermak said Beardsley would not return to the job and would not explain why.
Later in March, the board appointed engineering director Stephen Mykulyn as interim executive director and hired ADK Consulting & Executive Search to help find Beardsley’s replacement at a cost of $47,574. An ADK official said the airport could be named by July.
