WESTFIELD–Barnes Regional Airport Commission is down to two candidates for the vacant airport manager position.
The airport commission announced last night in their twice-monthly meeting that they have found two finalists for the position that was vacated by Brian Barnes Sept. 1 of this year. The commission was assisted by a screening committee and Mayor Brian Sullivan in the decision of the two finalists.
The two candidates will now be brought to the Barnes Regional Airport to tour the facility and have another interview.
Chairperson Kim Cameron estimated that the final interviews will tentatively happen between Nov. 28 and Dec. 2. However, this could not be confirmed since one of the candidates is coming from another state and will have to arrange for travel.
Members of the airport commission discuss.
“The process has gone very smoothly but it’s been difficult because some of the best candidates lived many miles away, so we did a lot of screening via Skype, although logisitics and time have been a problem,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan also said that he was satisfied with the amount of applicants the city received for the position.
“There was close to 20 applications, which is a good number,” he said. “I would say in this field it’s probably a high number because of the relocation of things. Not everybody is equipped to become an airport manager.”
Neither the commission nor the city could identify the candidates, but will do so prior to the final interviewing process.
The next airport commission meeting is scheduled for Dec. 1, at 6 p.m.
