NIAGARA CENTRAL AIRPORT COMMISSION STRUCTURE
The commission consists of 7 members of Municipal Councils that own the airport. Members are appointed by their respective municipalities and serve parallel to their elected term as a municipal councilor. A procedural by-law governs the operation. The members of the commission elect a chair who presides over the commission.
The four municipalities that own the airport and the number of appointees and current members is as follow:
Town of Pelham, 1 Member
- Kevin Ker
City of Port Colborne, 2 Members
- Ron Bodner
- Gary Bruno
Township of Wainfleet, 1 Member
- John MacLellan
City of Welland, 3 Members
- Jamie Lee
- Graham Speck
- Leo Van Vliet
NEXT MEETING DATE
Wednesday May 31, 2023 at 6:00pm Airport Administration Building
HISTORY OF THE COMMISSION
The Commission was established under the name the Welland-Port Colborne Airport Commission by an agreement dated January 1, 1969 for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining the Welland-Port Colborne Airport and was continued under an agreement dated January 1, 1974, which was ratified in The Welland-Port Colborne Airport Act, 1976.
The Welland-Port Colborne Airport Commission changed its name to the Niagara Central Airport Commission and changed the name of the Welland-Port Colborne Airport to the Niagara Central Airport in an agreement dated February 13, 2001, which was ratified in the Niagara Central Airport Commission Act, 2001.
In 2015 the Commission by an act of Parliament changed the airport name to honour female aviation pioneer Dorothy Rungeling to the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.
Commission Meeting are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at either the Airport Administration Office or the Air Cadets Hangar/Hall. As the commission is deemed a municipal board it operates under a procedural by-law.
ADVISORY PANEL
The Niagara Central Airport Commission, recognizing the value of experienced stakeholders in the airport’s operation, created an Advisory Panel in 2021 to promote co-operation with the commission on matters of importance to the airport.
The makeup of the panel is determined by the commission appointing members with specific subject matter experience.
The panel meets and discusses matters, then forwards non-binding recommendations to the commission. The commission in turn evaluates suggestions and prioritizes items based on safety, public benefit, efficiency and cost/value.
All items are given serious consideration and the commission encourages any member of the public to contribute to the success of the airport.