SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to temporarily appoint attorney James Christopher Munley to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport’s Bi-County Airport Board while Commissioner Chris Chermak remains a candidate for the airport’s executive director position.

The resolution passed on a 2-1 vote, with Commissioners Chris Chermak and Thom Welby voting in favor and Commissioner Bill Gaughan casting the lone dissenting vote.

Munley will temporarily fill Chermak’s seat on the six-member board while Chermak continues to pursue the airport’s top administrative job. Under the resolution approved Wednesday, Munley’s appointment will expire once a new executive director is hired or if Chermak is no longer a candidate for the position.

Chermak announced last month that he would step away from his airport board duties during the hiring process to avoid participating in discussions or votes related to the executive director search.

The airport board is evenly divided between the two counties, with three representatives each from Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. Under the board’s bylaws, hiring a new executive director requires support from at least two representatives from each county.

With Gaughan publicly opposing Chermak’s candidacy, Chermak’s path to becoming executive director would require support from both Munley and Welby, along with at least two of the three Luzerne County representatives.

Gaughan has repeatedly criticized the temporary appointment, arguing that a leave of absence does not create a vacancy on the board and questioning whether a temporary replacement should be appointed during one of the airport’s most consequential hiring decisions.

The airport is conducting a nationwide search to replace its executive director. Approximately 20 applicants applied for the position, and officials have narrowed the field to several finalists, though the identities of the remaining candidates have not been publicly released.

The executive director position carries an advertised salary range of $135,000 to $150,000, depending on qualifications and experience.