PITTSTON TWP. — Republican Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak did not deny Thursday that he’s interested in serving as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport’s next executive director.
“Let’s put it this way: Everything is on the table at all times,” Chermak, a pilot and the chairman of the bi-county board in charge of the airport, said after Thursday’s airport board meeting. Asked if he’d applied for the director position, Chermak said, “Not yet.”
Swirling rumors that Chermak might seek the job come after the board approved in March a $47,574 contract with ADK Consulting and Executive Search, a Florida-based firm that specializes in searches for airport and aerospace management executives. Theresia “Sia” Schatz, a senior project manager with ADK, said last month that the firm would conduct a search for applicants before narrowing the search to a group of finalists for the board to interview.
The airport could have a new director as early as June or July, she said.
Whomever it ultimately is would replace Executive Director Carl Beardsley Jr., who began his tenure at the airport in January 2015 and went on sabbatical leave late last year. Airport co-solicitor Donald Frederickson later confirmed Beardsley is unable to return as director. While Frederickson said he couldn’t elaborate on the personnel matter, he confirmed Beardsley’s absence is not related to a disciplinary issue.
Stephen Mykulyn, the airport’s longtime director of engineering and current interim executive director, said the deadline to apply for the executive director position is May 10.
Whether Chermak ultimately seeks the job, and whether the board would seriously consider him as Beardsley’s potential successor, remains to be seen. But a hypothetical scenario where he resigns as commissioner to become airport director could prompt another fight over filling the would-be vacancy.
Former Democratic Commissioner Matt McGloin’s resignation in early 2025 prompted a monthslong legal battle last year over the county Home Rule Charter’s replacement process that ultimately survived the legal challenge. The charter process resulted in the temporary appointment of interim Democratic Commissioner Brenda Sacco, who served briefly but was ultimately replaced by Democratic Commissioner Thom Welby, the winner of a November special election to fill the remainder of McGloin’s unexpired term running into early January 2028.
The special election was also the subject of litigation, but proceeded after a panel of county judges and a state appeals court declined to block it.
Should Chermak resign and another special election eventually take place to fill the remainder of his term, also running into early 2028, a Democratic victory in such an election could result in a three-member Board of Commissioners without any Republican representation. Chermak has served as the county’s lone Republican commissioner since 2020.
“I like being a commissioner,” he said Thursday. “It’d be a tough decision.”
Lackawanna County is represented on the airport board by its three commissioners, while Luzerne County is represented by the county manager and two county council members.
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