By Investigative Reporter, Linda Sutter – August 29, 2025

On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Crescent City Harbor District confirmed what many of us already knew: the Harbor is in financial disrepair. Sandy Moreno, the Harbor District’s glorified tax preparer, openly admitted, “We can’t pay our USDA loan payment.”

That statement alone should have shocked the room—but instead, Moreno assured the public she would speak with County Auditor Clint Schadd to “work something out.” In plain terms, she’s asking him to violate the law.

How? Because at the Board of Supervisors’ budget meetings, it was made very clear: before the Harbor District can access its TOT tax revenue, it must first make the USDA loan payment, show proof, and only then request reimbursement. Reimbursement is the key word—and the Harbor can’t pay up front.

Meanwhile, the Harbor has been spending money as if it had a money tree in its back office. Well, that tree has died, and it isn’t coming back. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Moreno also revealed what I’ve been warning about for months: the Harbor’s so-called “accountant” Mr. Stephen Denny from Las Vegas Nevada, isn’t a certified public accountant at all. No surprise there—Rademaker hired him.

To make matters worse, Moreno and Rademaker were forced to acknowledge yet another truth I’ve repeatedly raised: they were, and are, required to pay the Harbor’s insurance in full. Yet they didn’t. Which means they were in default before not paying their loan.

At this point, one has to wonder: does the Harbor District need a compliance officer? Absolutely. And I’ll say it here and now—I’m the gal for the job.

Another Blow to Transparency

The dysfunction doesn’t stop at finances. After Moreno’s budget report, the Board voted to take action—yet Chair Weber refused to allow public comment. That’s a direct violation of the people’s right to participate. When challenged, attorney Ryan Plotz stepped in with a bizarre solution: “Just discount the vote.” An officer of the court advised the Board to pretend the vote didn’t happen, but here’s the kicker—they never actually rescinded it.

And Then, the Airport

But fiscal irresponsibility isn’t limited to the Harbor. At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, another circus emerged—the Del Norte County Airport. The airport can’t afford repayment of its Stimson funds. Right now, the County is shelling out approximately $376,000 per year for an airport that can’t generate enough income to support itself.

Worse still, this airport—barely five years old—is already falling apart and is tied up in litigation with the contractors who built it.

Misplaced Priorities

Rather than fixing these messes, some of our leaders are dreaming up new ways to spend your tax dollars. Supervisor Howard even suggested committing $60,000 a year toward a proposed $40 million performing arts center.

Let’s be real—don’t the taxpayers already pay enough? Why sink money into another project that will require endless maintenance when we can’t even manage the facilities we already have?

The Bigger Picture

While these financial follies play out, our streets crumble, our homeless population grows, and trash piles up in our parks, roads, and neighborhoods.

The Harbor is broke. The Airport is broke. And the County is talking about spending millions more on another building.

The question we must all ask is simple: Is our county fiscally responsible?