Chehalis residents and members of the public had the opportunity to get to know the finalists for the new Centralia-Chehalis Airport manager on Tuesday.
According to Chehalis City Manager Merlin MacReynold, all but one of the men performed well during the panel interviews, so well that he’s going to interview them again and thoroughly check their references.
“I hope it’s no more than three weeks because we need someone out there,” he said. “But no clear front runner that came out of the interviews.”
David Fleckenstein, Jeff Jensen, Tim Mensonides and Samuel Seafeldt are vying for the position, all of them bringing years of experience in the aviation industry. The successful applicant will replace longtime manager Allyn Roe, who recently accepted a position as executive director of the Industrial Park at TransAlta.
Just as Roe did, the new manager will report directly to MacReynold as any other department head would.
Because Chehalis has only been the sole owner of the the airport for about a year — Lewis County has given up its portion of ownership — the city is still figuring out how to most effectively operate it. The new manager will play a huge role in shaping the future of the airport by creating an operational plan for the commercial side and the aviation side of the airport.
“There’s two very distinct elements out there,” said MacReynold. “I told each one I need somebody to come in here and help us administratively chart the future of that department.”
Since Roe has stepped away, Community Development Director Dennis Osborn has been running the commercial development face of the airport, while Street Superintendent Don Schmitt has been working with employees on the operating side.
MacReynold said the incoming manager will have Osborn, Roe and Schmitt to turn to for integrating themselves into the position.
The airport has a total budget of $2.9 million.
