North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, Jr. acted quickly upon learning that RavnAir Group had grounded all of its flights Sunday and will file for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules.
Brower issued an emergency order Sunday commandeering the hangar and associated assets of RavnAir Group that are located in the borough.
The mayor is acting under the authority of his emergency declaration for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that he issued in March.
Since Ravn has provided vital freight and passenger services to North Slope villages of Atqasuk, Point Lay, Wainwright, Nuiqsut, and Kaktovik, Brower doesn’t want those communities to be stranded.
“The North Slope Borough immediately takes possession of all assets controlled by Ravn within the boundaries of the North Slope Borough. This order includes, but is not limited to buildings — including hangars, equipment, operations manuals, parts, supplies, vehicles, airplanes. It includes intangible assets such as leases and security access codes,” Brower’s order says.
The order applies to RavnAir assets in Utqiagvik and Deadhorse.
The borough is also reserving the right to request and receive immediate cooperation from any current or former employee or contractor of Ravn to help set up freight and passenger airline service using the assets of Ravn for North Slope Borough communities.
