Interview process for Westfield-Barnes airport manager has begun

Date: 2/26/2020

WESTFIELD – After the 30-day application window closed, the Westfield-Barnes Airport Manager Screening Committee hosted its first meeting on Feb. 18 to set dates for candidate interviews following the departure of former manager Eric Billowitz.

In the brief meeting at the Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, the five member committee met for the first time to discuss the dates it would interview the candidates for the vacant airport manager position.

Dennis Miles, one of the committee’s members, suggested that the committee hold the interviews on two separate days for the 10 applicants. He said, “I was thinking we do three interviews during the first meeting and two the following meeting, and more if we need to.”

The rest of the committee agreed and decided to host the first two rounds of interviews during meetings on Feb. 25 and 26. He added that he would be sending along a preliminary list of questions to the rest of the committee before the interviews so they could make any changes if needed.

Miles explained that the preliminary meeting was just the first step. “We’re in the process now of reviewing the applicants and resumes before we establish the individual interviews before the pre-screening committee,” he said.

While the Feb. 18 meeting was in open session, Miles explained the following two meetings had to take place in executive session. He said, “We want to really protect the confidentiality with people before the final candidates are finalized.”

Once the Pre-Screening Committee narrows down to the final two or three candidates, they will hand the final round of interviews over to the Airport Commission. 

“After those interviews are done, and we have two or three candidates, they’ll go to the Airport Commission,” Miles said, “Then the Airport Commission does final interviews and they’ll make the final decision on employment.”

Miles added that the interviews hosted by the Airport Commission will all be in open session.