Board approves $70,000 "mini cube" charger for San Luis Obispo Airport; supervisors discuss future Oceano purchase
July 07, 2026 | San Luis Obispo County, California
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The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved a sole‑source purchase to add a $70,000 "mini cube" charging unit at the San Luis Obispo Airport, a move county staff described as an initial step toward supporting advanced air mobility and electrification of aviation.
Julie Tacker, speaking during public comment on the consent pull, questioned the sole‑source procurement and the charger’s longevity, saying staff appeared to waive competitive bidding for a device that "may be obsolete" quickly as charging technology advances. "Because it is unique...this type of technology is advancing leaps and bounds," she said.
Courtney Penney, deputy director of airports, defended the recommendation, describing the device as "akin to what is out there already in the world" and comparable to an AC Level 2 charger. Annie Seacrest, the airport sustainability manager, explained how remote software updates would keep the unit current: "When the developer wants to push out software updates...they'll push out a remote update. We accept it on our end and then it automatically updates."
Supervisors discussed the potential of adding a second unit at Oceano Airport as the county pursues a Coastal Commission permit and broader economic development goals. Supervisor Gibson said he would like staff to consider a future purchase for Oceano to create an ecosystem for electric aviation.
On a roll call vote the board approved staff's recommendation to authorize the purchase (recorded votes: Chairperson Paulding — yes; Supervisor Gibson — yes; Supervisor Pashong — yes; Supervisor Ortiz Legg — yes; Supervisor Moreno — yes). Staff said funds exist to buy an additional charger later if warranted and that the county is moving cautiously with Oceano pending the Coastal Commission process.
The county characterized the purchase as a step toward future advanced air mobility capabilities and as part of broader efforts to encourage electrification in general aviation and emerging regional aviation markets.
Julie Tacker, speaking during public comment on the consent pull, questioned the sole‑source procurement and the charger’s longevity, saying staff appeared to waive competitive bidding for a device that "may be obsolete" quickly as charging technology advances. "Because it is unique...this type of technology is advancing leaps and bounds," she said.
Courtney Penney, deputy director of airports, defended the recommendation, describing the device as "akin to what is out there already in the world" and comparable to an AC Level 2 charger. Annie Seacrest, the airport sustainability manager, explained how remote software updates would keep the unit current: "When the developer wants to push out software updates...they'll push out a remote update. We accept it on our end and then it automatically updates."
Supervisors discussed the potential of adding a second unit at Oceano Airport as the county pursues a Coastal Commission permit and broader economic development goals. Supervisor Gibson said he would like staff to consider a future purchase for Oceano to create an ecosystem for electric aviation.
On a roll call vote the board approved staff's recommendation to authorize the purchase (recorded votes: Chairperson Paulding — yes; Supervisor Gibson — yes; Supervisor Pashong — yes; Supervisor Ortiz Legg — yes; Supervisor Moreno — yes). Staff said funds exist to buy an additional charger later if warranted and that the county is moving cautiously with Oceano pending the Coastal Commission process.
The county characterized the purchase as a step toward future advanced air mobility capabilities and as part of broader efforts to encourage electrification in general aviation and emerging regional aviation markets.
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