Cortez Hosts Meet-and-Greet for Airport Director Finalists as Transition Nears

Cortez will host a public meet-and-greet Thursday, March 5, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Cortez City Hall, 123 Roger Smith Ave., giving residents, business owners and airport stakeholders a chance to meet the two finalists for municipal airport director, Aaron Payonk and Kyle Sloan. The event comes as current Airport Director Jeremy Patton prepares to leave at the end of March to take a new management role outside the city.

Aaron Payonk is the better-documented finalist: Payonk lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has served as airport manager for Steuben County overseeing the Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport since 2022, holds a private pilot license, and previously worked as a line service technician and later as lead line service supervisor at the Fort Wayne Allen County Airport Authority. City materials include a brochure for the candidates meet-and-greet and the City of Cortez has provided event imagery, including an aerial view of the Cortez runway from summer 2024.

Kyle Sloan is named alongside Payonk as one of the two finalists, but available excerpts and city postings do not include biographical or employment details for Sloan. The City of Cortez lists Sloan by name on the meet-and-greet announcement and invites the public to engage with both finalists during the informal session.

After the Thursday meet-and-greet, the two finalists will be interviewed by city panels on Friday before a final hiring decision is reached. City Manager Drew Sanders holds the authority to make the hire; Sanders said, "We may hire one of them, we may not depending on how it goes." The city narrowed its applicant pool to these two finalists as part of that selection process.

The City of Cortez is encouraging community participation in the hiring step. The archived event notice states the informal meeting "offers residents, business owners, and airport stakeholders an opportunity to engage with the candidates, ask questions, and share perspectives on the airport's future." For logistics or questions, the City of Cortez office at 123 Roger Smith Avenue operates Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and can be reached at 970-565-3402.

With Jeremy Patton's departure scheduled for the end of March, the meet-and-greet on March 5 and the subsequent panel interviews represent the closing steps in a compressed transition. The city will move from public engagement to final selection after those interviews, with City Manager Drew Sanders responsible for the ultimate appointment.