Following the recent Board of Supervisors August 26th meeting involving airport cash flow issues, the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority (BCRAA) held its once-a-month meeting at the Flynn Center, Sept. 4.The BCRAA meeting convened six of the eight partners, with Supervisor Darrin Short arriving 40 minutes after the 2PM start.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');The Authority reported Sean Rosenthal as the new Airport Director.The Authority then received a financial status report regarding the possible need for future bridge loans based on at least three projects and reimbursement.Commissioners then voted unanimously to approve Agreement with Del Norte County for a line of credit to be extended by County to BCRAA to ease the cash flow crisis. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has changed its grant rules by requiring grantees complete its work before 95 percent of reimbursement can occur. This dynamic is currently in play for three projects:• Runway 18-36 paving (95 percent); $7-8 million• Perimeter fencing circumnavigating the airport: $900,000.• ARRF water truck: $385,000 plus $100,000 in added amenities.The Authority was unable to draw down to pay a Tidewater invoice as Controller / Auditor was in process of setting up the Line of Credit. The Authority also tabled a Consideration and Approval of Corporation Resolution to Borrow pending the approval and established protocol heretofore referred to in the Corporate Resolution to Borrow.Commissioners then opened up a discussion on communications, both in Open Session and with the public. After a member of the public cited the short runway of 5,000 ft and restricting what type of aircraft may access the short air strip, Commissioner Howard brought to the attention of the public with an instruction to Director Rosenthal to investigate the feasibility of extending the runway an additional 500 feet, allowing larger capacity equipment to land and takeoff at CEC. The same public member also brought attention the current carrier, Advanced Air does not fly to destinations most preferred by local Del Norte fliers. Hawthorne and Oakland are not preferred stops, compared to LAX and SFO.Advanced Air flies a 30 passenger Dornier 328 jet which this past summer has operated at about 65 percent capacity. Commissioner Dale Miller of the Elk Valley Rancheria agreed with the speaker about the limited menu of flights departing CEC which prompted another exchange when the public speaker shared his frustration he felt he was talking to wall with the implication commissioners did not heed public comments. The speaker reminded commissioners, flights are designated to non-hub airports like Hawthorne and Oakland. Current BCRAA chairman David Finigan, the at-large appointee to the Authority, engaged the speaker in what some might feel as a hostile manner when Finigan spoke to him, “ I know your position on airport operations. I’ll never allow this airport to close.”Airport Director Rosenthal announced there were 239 enplanements for the month of August. 2025.The amount of enplanements projects to between eight and nine thousand enplanements, annually. The Director admitted the modest enplanements total does not cover airport operations costs.The Border Coast Regional Airport Authority Meets the first Thursday of each month at 2PM at the Flynn Center. The next meeting is Thursday, October 2. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });