Former Airport Manager Warren Smith Opens Up About Sudden Termination
David Creed •
After a few weeks of reflection following his sudden termination as the Nantucket Memorial Airport Manager last month, Warren Smith reached out to the Current to open up about how things went down in his final days on the job while expressing he is “bummed” that his time on Nantucket is over.
Smith said that on June 18th he was met by the airport commission’s chair at the time – Art Gasbarro – as well as vice chair Andrea Planzer in his office. He said that he was told that “it just wasn't working out for him" and when he asked for further clarification, was not given any other information.
“I was coerced to give my voluntary two-week notice by Monday, June 22nd, and was told that I would be paid for the month of July and to be out of the airport housing and off the island by end of August,” Smith said. “When I asked if I didn't provide my two-week notice, I was informed that the commission would seek my termination, which meant the commission hadn't voted yet on such an action.”
Smith confirmed he was terminated without cause two days after the deadline set by Gasbarro and Planzer on June 24th and that it was done via email without an open meeting vote.
“I understand that the commission did meet in executive session regarding my employment back on June 9th,” Smith said. “However, doesn't the commission require a vote to involuntarily terminate me in an open meeting? Would this have been an open meeting violation? I asked the town for clarification, all I got was crickets. I also found it strange this would all be happening right when the former chair of 15 years was stepping down with barely five days left of his tenure. It definitely is not a good look or track record that the airport commission has now gone through four different airport managers within the span of five years during the tenure of the previous chair and co-chair.”
According to section 5.2 of Smith’s contract, it states that the airport commission reserves the right to “terminate Smith without cause at any time.”
The airport commission did list an item on their June 9th agenda under the executive session section reading, "Clause 2: To Conduct Strategy Session in Preparation for Contract Negotiations with Non-Union Personnel – Airport Manager."
It was the final meeting before Smith's termination. Their next meeting took place on July 14th - weeks after Smith had been replaced. He was not mentioned during the meeting.
Smith said he was also never given an annual performance evaluation, which was supposed to be granted per his contract according to section 1.7.
“I should have been given an annual performance evaluation prior to my first anniversary of my commencement date (which was March 3rd, 2026) with the input from town staff, my own staff, and the other commissioners, which never happened,” Smith said. “It would have outlined a 12-month step-by-step of goals and objectives that the commission was looking for in my service to the airport, which I never received. That performance evaluation was to be in an open meeting of the commission which never happened. Not having any performance evaluation per my contract, being told it just wasn't working out for me, and no direction from my commission was hurtful as they didn't keep their end of the contract.”
Planzer, who is now the chair of the commission, provided a statement to the Current addressing the decision to move on from Smith.
“The airport commission determined that Mr. Smith was not a good fit for the needs of the airport,” Planzer said. “The Chairman and I met with Mr. Smith to discuss the options. We offered Mr. Smith the opportunity to resign rather than terminating him without cause per his employment contract. Mr. Smith chose not to resign. We terminated him without cause and paid him 3 months severance in accordance with his employment contract. In addition, he received his salary to the end of June and we provided his housing for 30 days. We wish him well.”
When asked whether the airport commission needed to hold a vote in a public session to terminate his contract, and whether it was true there was no annual performance evaluation for Smith like he alleged, Planzer said, “His termination was in accordance with his employment contract.”
When asked whether it was possible to disclose whether a vote was held by the airport commission in executive session and, if so, when it took place, Planzer said, “I believe that I have told you all I can at this time.”
Smith said his staff was "stunned and completely confused" about his termination.
"It's hard to believe that one minute I am employed and the next I am not," Smith said. "All my staff were stunned and completely confused along with many other locals who I ran into claiming that it didn't feel right and something seemed really weird about how it all went down."
Smith said he was required to provide a 60-day notice of voluntary resignation according to his contract and not a two-week notice like the commission was allegedly requesting
“I was being told to go against my contract by my chair and co-chair,” Smith said. “In addition, my contract also provided me with a three-month severance if terminated without cause. I felt the commission was doing everything to ensure I didn't get my severance as they told me I would only be paid through the end of July, depriving me of 2 months’ worth of severance.”
According to section 2.2 of Smith’s contract, it states, “Should Smith voluntarily resign his employment prior to expiration of the current term or any additional term, his notice of resignation shall be tendered to the Commission no less than sixty (60) days prior to his departure date.” Smith’s contract was three years and signed on February 11th, 2025.
“Being the breadwinner of a family with a wife and four children, I needed to look out for the best interest of my family, something the commission didn't have the heart to consider from a monetary perspective,” Smith continued. “And to kick me off island in the middle of summer, another challenging feat in and of itself.”
Smith said despite the abrupt ending, he is appreciative of the island community and his time on Nantucket.
“I am grateful for the time I had at ACK and for the many friendships I made with the people and staff,” Smith said. “I had amazing staff who I know will lead the airport forward into the future. I wish them all the best to make ACK a robust and bustling airport for the general public to enjoy.”
Smith was replaced by Preston Harimon, who prior to being hired as assistant airport manager in February of 2023, wore many hats including operations specialist, operations supervisor, operations superintendent and compliance manager. Harimon has been an island resident for decades and first came to the island in 2001 and 2002 as a seasonal airport worker providing help on the ramp. He was hired full-time before moving back to Nebraska, his home state, about 18 months later.
It wasn't long until Harimon and his wife had the urge to return to Nantucket. They moved back to the island in 2004. Harimon jumped back on the airport's staff and has been on-island ever since - serving as an integral part of the airport's operations in a variety of capacities over the past 22 years.
Gasbarro, who stepped away from the airport commission July 1st after 15 years of service, confirmed the termination of Smith and the hiring of Harimon days before his departure.
"Effective June 24, 2026, Warren Smith is no longer employed by the Nantucket Memorial Airport," airport commission chair Art Gasbarro told the Current in a statement. "We thank Mr. Smith for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors. Preston Harimon, a longtime Airport employee and Assistant Manager, has been appointed Acting Airport Manager."