Airport $11.6M expansion project to begin in September; search for executive director continues

PITTSTON TWP. — Stephen Mykulyn, interim executive director at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, on Thursday told the Bi-County Airport Board that the $11.6 million expansion project is slated to begin in September.

Mykulyn said the project, which will be nearly completely funded through government grants, will take a year to a year and a half to complete.

According to Mykulyn, the project will add 10,000 square feet to the airport terminal, creating additional space for passengers, staff, and the TSA area.

The board approved the following contracts for the expansion project:

• D&M Construction Unlimited Inc., Dalton, general contractor, $9.6 million.

• Scranton Electric Heating & Cooling Systems Inc., Throop, mechanical, $903,003; plumbing, $428,236.

• McFarland Johnson Inc., Binghamton, N.Y., project administration/observation, $2.6 million. McFarlane Johnson was hired in April 2023 to design the project at a cost of $1.3 million.

Mykulyn said the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation aviation division will provide most of the funding. He said a small portion of the project cost will be derived from a fee on passengers’ tickets.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the financial report of Chris Dalessandro, director of finance, who said for the month of March 2026, airport operations had an income totaling $274,787, compared to an income of $150,778 in February 2025 — a difference of $124,009.

Year to date, Dalessandro said profit is $302,703, compared to $312,372 in 2025 — a difference of $9,669.

Dalessandro reported that invoices received since the last meeting for supplies and services totaled $307,074.38.

• Beth Coslett, Air Service Development, reported that passenger enplanements for the month of March 2026 increased 2.1% to 21,916, from 21,475 in the month of March 2025.

In March 2026, Coslett said nine departing flights were canceled — seven for weather/Air Traffic Control; two for maintenance. She said this accounts for 461 seats (1.6%) out of a total of 28,557 departure seats. Also, nine arriving flights were canceled, all for weather/ATC.

New Executive Director search update

At its March meeting, the Bi-County Airport Board ratified the appointment of Stephen Mykulyn, P.E., as interim Executive Director, effective March 6. Mykulyn then asked the board to enter into an agreement between the airport and ADK Consulting & Executive Search to conduct a national search for a permanent executive director.

Chris Dalessandro, the airport’s director of finance, said the ADK contract is effective from March 4, at a cost of $47,574. Sia Schatz, a Senior Consultant at ADK Consulting & Executive Search, said the process should take three months, adding that the airport could have its executive director in place in July. The deadline to apply for the position is May 10.

At Thursday’s meeting, Mykulyn, who also serves as the airport’s director of engineering, said he has not decided if he would apply for the permanent job.

BJ Teichman, assistant executive director, was appointed in February 2025, and she said she will continue as assistant director. It’s not known if she will apply for the top job.

But another name surfaced Thursday as a possible candidate for the executive director’s position. Lackawanna County Commissioner and Bi-County Board Chair Chris Chermak did not discount the possibility that he will throw his name in the ring for consideration.

Chermak, who holds a pilot’s license, has worked in his family’s automobile business.

Several questions have arisen regarding Chermak’s possible candidacy. It’s not known if Chermak would be able to vote for himself if he were nominated for the position. According to Attorney Donald Frederickson, solicitor to the airport, the successful candidate must have at least two votes from board members from each county.

The three Lackawanna County Commissioners sit on the board — Chermak, Bill Gaughan, and Thom Welby. The three Luzerne County members are Luzerne County Council Members Lee Ann McDermott, Chris Belles, and Romilda Crocamo, county manager.

Mary Fox, executive director at the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, said it would have to be determined if there is a conflict of interest that would prohibit Chermak from serving, should he decide to apply.