Airport manager reports cargo growth and tests new access‑control system at Merced authority meeting

At a Merced Regional Airport Authority meeting, Airport Manager Mr. Williams reported steady operational growth and described testing of a new access‑control and badging system tied to the terminal replacement project.

Mr. Williams said the airport has “so far total for the year” about 241,000 pounds of cargo and showed that summer months (July–September) produced increased landings. He told the board that staff are working on authentication, logistics and badge‑holder oversight to improve emergency response and enable zone lockdowns if needed. He said the system was purchased with grant funds and that staff tested system performance after a recent power outage to identify components that worked and those that needed adjustment.

The report also covered airline performance. When asked about Advanced Air’s load factors, Mr. Williams said they are “about 80 percent” and that the airline’s marketing contact coordinates outreach for events; the airline provides a quarterly report of its marketing activity and primarily promotes service via social media. A board member asked whether the airport proactively alerts the airline about local events (for example, races or parades) so flights can be marketed to travelers; Mr. Williams said the airline’s community‑outreach staff handles such coordination.

Why it matters: the airport authority is testing security and credentialing upgrades while reporting modest operational growth; those systems affect daily operations and emergency preparedness and are funded in part by grants, making their rollout a local accountability issue.

Details and caveats: Mr. Williams presented landing and employment figures that indicated summer growth and said cargo was “currently at 241,000 lbs so far total for the year.” Some staffing and employment numbers in the presentation were unclear in the transcript and appear garbled; the meeting record should be consulted for exact payroll and employment counts. No formal actions or votes were taken on operational items during this portion of the meeting.

The authority did not receive public comment at the meeting; staff noted there were no members of the public in the chambers when public comment was opened.

What’s next: no implementation vote was taken; the report was informational and staff will continue testing the access‑control system during terminal work.