Col. David Halasi-Kun, wing commander of 104th Fighter Wing, Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe and Lt. Gov. Kimberley Driscoll greet Vice President Kamala Harris as she landed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport on July 27 as part of a trip to Pittsfield.
Photo credit: Josh Qualls, governor’s office
WESTFIELD — Westfield officials from Mayor Michael McCabe to Airport Manager Christopher Willenborg to Westfield Democratic City Committee Chair Jeffrey Gunther were all impressed by the cooperation and collaboration of federal, state and local agencies in Vice President Kamala Harris’ arrival and departure in Westfield on Saturday, July 27.
McCabe said he found out the previous Wednesday that the vice president, and likely Democratic nominee for president, would be landing in Westfield.
“If the office of the vice president calls you and says can you meet me [while] landing in your city, the answer is always yes,” he said.
McCabe said Harris arrived shortly after noon on a 757 jet. He said Col. David L. Halasi-Kun, wing commander of Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing, was there to greet Air Force 2, along with Lt. Gov. Kimberley Driscoll, state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) and other distinguished guests.
“I had about five minutes with the vice president. She gets off the plane, makes her way down the stairs, meets with the lieutenant governor, meets with me, meets with the colonel, asks ‘How is the family,’ and keeps on going down,” McCabe said.
McCabe said he was taking all of his cues from Willenborg. He said he wasn’t sure who made all of the arrangements, but Willenborg’s team was involved.
“Even all the protocols and procedures are fun to navigate. It was a good day,” he said.
McCabe said the local and state Democratic Party committees also had a hand in handling the transportation, with rented vans that shuttled people around.
“I had fun. I think so did Amy [Tosi, McCabe’s executive assistant] — which was very nice of the White House. She was on the tarmac with me,” McCabe said.
Willenborg said the airport had been alerted by the Secret Service at the beginning of the week before the arrival.
“They shared with us that the vice president would be utilizing Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport for arrivals and departures for her event taking place up in Pittsfield,” he said. “It doesn’t happen all the time, having a VIP coming through the airport. Having the vice president doesn’t happen all the time.”
He said that call began a planning effort with multiple agencies to ensure Harris’ arrival at Barnes went well and safely. He said there was a collaboration of agencies to make sure the arrival and departure went smoothly.
“One of the things was the cooperation from the Secret Service, the 104th Fighter Wing security forces, the State Police and Westfield Police Department working together was outstanding. We were happy to be a part of that effort,” Willenborg said, adding that a communication center was set up with representatives from each of those organizations that collaborated on the event. “If there were an issue each of those organizations were in the same room to address it,” he said.
Willenborg said he was not one of the distinguished guests at the arrival.
“The mayor was representing the city of Westfield,” he said. “The Secret Service determined who would be able to be at the arrival of the aircraft. I had the responsibility of working with the Secret Service in a couple of different capacities. … I was part of the team ensuring safety and security.”
He said his team helped to provide runway sweeps with the Secret Service in vehicles, as well as escorting the motorcade to the exit point of the airport, where the State Police took over. The motorcade proceeded up Southampton Road to the Massachusetts Turnpike for the drive to Pittsfield.
Willenborg said there was a designated area for supporters where the vice president walked along the crowd line, and the people had a chance to show their support. He said they were not near where the airplane was parked.
Willenborg said the entire visit to the area lasted four hours. Harris arrived in Westfield around 1 p.m. and departed a little before 5 p.m. after spending a little over an hour at a fundraiser in Pittsfield.
Jeffrey Gunther, chair of the Westfield Democratic Committee, also took part in the event. He said Harris spent some time with a group of supporters gathered in the designated area to greet her after meeting with the mayor and others on the tarmac.
“She spent maybe 20 minutes or so greeting and talking to gathered supporters. There were probably four or five busloads of supporters there from throughout Western Mass. that she spoke to and greeted,” Gunther said.
Gunther said he and others from the Westfield Democratic City Committee joined other area Democrats, including state Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli of Lenox, who were asked by the Harris campaign to support her fundraiser in Pittsfield by driving in the motorcade to and from the event.
“It was an exciting and unique experience to be a part of the vice president’s motorcade and to share the ride to and from Pittsfield with her D.C. staff. It was great to see the support on the side of the road throughout Westfield and in Pittsfield, including many supporters of all ages holding out signs of support. The energy that has come from V.P. Harris arising to the top of Democratic ticket was on display throughout the drive,” Gunther said.
“I also left with an elevated appreciation for the efforts of everyone from the staff at Barnes Air National Guard Base to the State Police to the Secret Service and many others working to keep everyone safe throughout the visit. It was certainly an unforgettable experience to play one small part in the V.P.’s campaign and it is an opportunity I am very thankful to have had,” Gunther added.
