PANYNJ Monthly Board Meeting
Air Trains, EWR American Express lease, recognition, cargo congestion
Port Authority held its monthly
meeting on September 30.
Agenda included new a new
American Express lease, Moment
of Silence for 20th 9-11
Anniversary, special retirement
recognition for Michael Massiah,
report from the Executive Director,
EWR redevelopment, cargo
logjam, EWR AirTrain approval
and runway repairs.
Chair Kevin O’Toole opened
the meeting with a moment of silence
commemorating the 20th
Anniversary of the 9-11 World
Trade attack.
Aviation Director Huntley
Lawrence presented a 15-year
with 5-year extension lease to
American Express for a Centurion
3-story lounge extension of
50,000sf. Amex will pay $121.5
million rent and required 35%
guest revenue.
With construction in 2022 and
finished second half 2023. The
Board approved the item.
The Board held special recognition
for Michael Massiah’s
retirement after 40 years. Of
service to PANYNJ, Chairman
O’Toole pointed out that Port
asked Massiah to stay on 4 years
ago to head the office of Diversity
and Inclusion, which he did.
And recognized Massiah as
role model for Port people saying,
“What you have done and
worked with such a permanency
and impact that will not go away.
The latest 25 initiatives will live
for the next 100 years. Thank
you.”
Executive Director Rick Cotton
said it was bittersweet seeing
him leave saying Messiah is
“steady empathetic, wise, hard
working, and a man of integrity.
Because of your initiatives you
have empowered thousands of
Port employees going from great
to fantastic.”
Commissioner LaBarbera
wished for much happiness in
Massiah's retirement. Commissioner
Leecia Eve could not say
enough wonderful things about
Massiah as a man and mentor to
the employees.
Humbly, Massiah thanked
the Port for their words. He explained
that his dedication to
transportation stemmed from
his grandmother who could not
arrange for transportation to
her own school as a youth. This
memory stayed with him and
drove him to work in this area.
He said that we need to continue
to invest in infrastructure and
never allow a person to be hampered
life by not having transportation.
He thanked the Board
for their recognition and said he
Retiring Port Authority Director of Office Diversity & Inclusion Michael Massiah thanking all present for their support over the years in advancing
the objectives of the ODI.
was blessed to have served in
transportation.
28 AIRPORT VOICE, OCTOBER 2021
Cotton gave his monthly report
on the state of the Port. He
said that the agency remains on
focus and on agenda even with
challenge of covid and thanked
all employees and trade unions
for their work.
The airports are reporting
an average of -36% capacity
compared to the same time prepandemic
in 2019. The seaport
however is up over 19% from the
same period in 2019. He still sees
a $3 billion loss through January
2022 as indicated by months of
revenue reports throughout 2020
and into 2021.
In terms of covid, testing is
being instituted weekly for those
Port workers who are unvaccinated.
He remarked on two Newark
Airport projects; the Air Train and
runway. Referring to the Air Train,
which was cleared for takeoff by
the FAA, he calls it clean, green
mass rail project that will vastly
improve service and cleaner
environment. This billion-dollar
project is expected to begin in
2022 and be completed in 2026.
The 4R22L runway reopened
after a delay due to covid but was
still completed earlier than originally
planned.
In a related environmental
issue, he said that there was a
stunning amount of rain that fell
on September 21 from Hurricane
IDA and that actions need to be
taken to mitigate the water flowing
after the rainfall.
Turning to the cargo congestion
plaguing the country, he was
pleased to report that the Port
Seaport in New Jersey has an
average wait time of less than
2.5 days, although this is not desirable,
with half a dozen ships
waiting, compared to dozens of
ships awaiting Port in Los Angeles
with an 11 day wait time.
These backlogs are hampering
airport efficiency due to the historic
volume due to the seaport
delays, airport workforce and
driver shortage and increased
security requirements at the airports.
Airport companies have
asked local airport management
for relief in short-term Port operated
facility use to mitigate some
of the delays due to these constraints.
Note: Subsequent to the
Board meeting 2 items of importance
related to the LaGuardia
AirTrain and EWR Council
1-STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL ON
TRANSPORTATION TO LAGUARDIA
AIRPORT
"New Yorkers deserve worldclass
transportation to worldclass
airports. I have asked the
Port Authority to thoroughly examine
alternative mass transit
solutions for reducing car traffic
and increasing connectivity to
LaGuardia Airport.
We must ensure that our
transportation projects are bold,
visionary, and serve the needs of
New Yorkers. I remain committed
to working expeditiously to
rebuild our infrastructure for the
21st century and to create jobs–
not just at LaGuardia, but at all
of our airports and transit hubs
across New York."
The Port responded by stating,
““At Governor Hochul’s request,
the Port Authority is undertaking
a thorough review of
potential alternative mass transit
options to LaGuardia Airport.
The agency will work in close
consultation with independent
experts and stakeholders, and
will complete its work as expeditiously
as possible, consistent
with the need for the review to
be thorough and rigorous. During
the review, the Port Authority
will pause further action with
respect to the LaGuardia AirTrain
project.”
These were in response to a
petition, by three area associations,
seeking a halt to the project
based on an alleged unlawful
decision-based decision by
the FAA.
2-Newark Airport Advisory
Council
Newark Airport Advisory
Council created by PANYNJ.
Now open for applications.
The Port Authority is seeking
interested individuals to serve on
a new advisory council for Newark
Liberty International Airport
(EWR), a panel that will include
a cross-section of participants
from among airport travelers,
business operators, community
members and local residents.
The Newark Liberty International
Airport Advisory Council,
known as EWRAC, is scheduled
to launch in November
as a 12-month pilot program.
Its members will be tasked
with providing input to facility
management on operations,
customer service issues and
community impacts from operations.
The meetings will be held
quarterly, on Wednesdays of
every third month and generally
in the evening. EWRAC seeks
to empanel a diverse crosssection
of between 15 and 21
members.
Applications to participate on
the council must be received by
October 26, 2021. To obtain an
application, https://lnkd.in/eyxzkmUy
or pick up an application
at one of the airport’s Welcome
Centers, located in Terminal A,
Level 2; Terminal B, Level 1, or
Terminal C, Level 1. Completed
applications can be submitted
via e-mail to EWRAC@panynj.
gov or via regular mail to EWR
Advisory Council, Newark Liberty
International Airport, 1 Conrad
Road, Building One, 2nd
Floor Newark, NJ 07114.
Council membership will be
open to customers who regularly
travel through Newark Liberty
and to community residents who
live within the surrounding neighborhoods.
Meetings will provide
local communities the opportunity
to express concerns and ask
questions related to the airport.
They will also provide an opportunity
for the Port Authority
to educate and inform the surrounding
communities regarding
projects, activities and initiatives
being undertaken at airport facilities,
and business and employment
opportunities, as well as
challenges facing the airport.
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