Connecting with the Community
The MAC’s system of airports plays a vital role in stimulating a thriving and vibrant community. We work with communities through our airport advisory commissions, conduct long-range planning with our many stakeholders, organize airport events and educational programs, and discuss airplane noise with our neighbors.
Communicating with Our Stakeholders
To better serve and communicate with Minnesota constituents and to advance our focus on community and stakeholder engagement, the MAC’s website – and primary means of communication – was redesigned in 2021. The new site incorporates best practices for navigation and search functionality, raises the visibility of career opportunities at the MAC, and consolidates the previously separate aircraft noise program site into the main site, to name a few of the enhancements. We are proud of the work we do for the community and, with this upgrade, aim to ensure our community has all it needs to fully engage with our people and our work.
Community Engagement
During a year in which in-person events were significantly curtailed due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Stakeholder Engagement team needed to get creative with its outreach efforts.
In addition to continuing to hold virtual meetings for airport advisory groups and the public, the team worked with two local non-profits to offer educational videos for students across Minnesota. For STEMLink – Success Beyond the Classroom, the team created school-age-appropriate informational videos about airport careers – specifically in the Airport Fire and the Field Maintenance departments at the MAC. The team also produced a video for the Science Museum of Minnesota about MSP Airport’s solar arrays. That video reached more than 650 students through the museum’s Action for Earth campaign.
Long Term Planning
The MAC conducts ongoing long-term planning for all seven of its airports. In December, the MAC resumed its long-term planning process for MSP Airport. That process, which began in late 2019, was put on hold in 2020 and for much of 2021 so the MAC could concentrate on managing the effects of the global pandemic.
MSP’s long-term plan will evaluate when facility improvements will be needed to accommodate projected passenger demand in a manner that considers safety, efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness and that enhances the customer experience. An important part of the process is public involvement and input, which will be solicited at various points before the plan is completed in late 2022.