SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak announced Thursday that he is taking a temporary leave of absence from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Board while he remains a candidate for the airport’s executive director position.
In a public statement, Chermak said he has served on the airport’s Joint Board of Managers since becoming a county commissioner in January 2020 and currently serves as the board’s chair. He said the board recently launched a search for a new executive director after the previous executive director resigned, retaining an independent executive search firm to recruit candidates.
Chermak said his longtime interest in aviation, including earning a private pilot’s license nearly 40 years ago, led him to apply for the position after discussing the decision with family and friends.
According to the statement, Chermak immediately informed airport board members and the board’s solicitors of his application and recused himself from all aspects of the hiring process to avoid any conflict of interest.
Chermak said he was notified on June 12 that he remained under consideration for the position. He said that prompted him to temporarily step away from his role on the board to further protect the integrity of the executive director selection process.
Effective Thursday, Chermak said he is taking a leave of absence as both a member and chairperson of the airport board until the search for a new executive director is complete.
Chermak emphasized that his duties as a Lackawanna County commissioner are unchanged and said he will continue serving county residents while the airport’s hiring process moves forward.