UPDATE: Pendleton City Council chooses Boutique Air

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – The Pendleton City Council has unanimously approved a committee recommendation that the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport recommends to the U.S. Department of Transportation that Boutique Air remain as its Essential Air Service Provider.

City Manager Robb Corbett said the council was permitted to take action in endorsing the recommendation without a public hearing. We will post another story on this Wednesday after more details are gathered.

Posted earlier:

PENDLETON – The Pendleton City Council will hear a committee recommendation about which of three bidders for the city’s Essential Air Services contract at its meeting tonight (Tuesday) at 7.

The three applicants are Boutique Air, Southern Airways, and Alaska Sea Planes. The council has not been informed in advance of the committee’s recommendation. It is listed on the agenda under “new business,” which generally means a public hearing on the issue will be held before the council votes.

The city does not decide who gets the contract and its federal funding. That decision is left to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Weight is given to the city’s recommendation, however.

The three proposals are attached to the agenda for the meeting. It can be found at https://cityofpendletonor.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=7941.