In a letter written Wednesday to members of the Albany County Airport Authority Board, three state legislators said the board's recent decision to not renew the contract of Albany International Airport head Phil Calderone has left them concerned about the future of the facility.

Calderone, a former longtime deputy mayor of Albany and deputy Albany County executive, will not have his contract renewed when it expires on Dec. 1, the authority's board of directors announced last week, adding that it was using a national search firm to find Calderone's successor.

On Wednesday, Assemblymembers Pat Fahy, John McDonald III and Phil Steck, who are all Democrats, reminded the authority the airport is a state-created authority that has received $100 million in federal and state funding based on its current leadership. Calderone has been in the position for five years.

"We have heard from many individuals throughout the Capital Region regarding their concerns about what the process will be for replacing the Executive Director and what steps are being taken to ensure a smooth transition," the assemblymembers wrote. "We welcome greater comment from the board and/or an opportunity to discuss next steps."

The letter was made public on the same day that Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, a Democrat, released a statement, saying that he was not applying or seeking Calderone's job. 

 “There has been much speculation and media coverage over the last several days relating to my future," McCoy said, referring to published reports linking him to the job. "I would like to take this opportunity to state that I am committed to continuing my career in public service with Albany County."

The legislators called the airport a critical economic engine, and said it was critical that airport operations continue to function smoothly.

"State and federal investments have helped transition the county airport into an international one that continues to expand with increased flights and carriers to serve those who live throughout our region. Therefore, it is critical that the authority work in an expedited manner to conduct a national search for a new director. Implicit in this request is that the authority update the job description to recognize the enhanced responsibilities since a director search was conducted in 2019," their letter concludes.