The future of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority (LNAA) remains in limbo.

The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, at its Dec. 9 meeting, unanimously voted to table the authority’s request to extend its term of existence for another 50 years.

The authority operates and oversees Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Commissioner Michael Schware, who sponsored the amendment seeking to extend the authority’s term, said the board tabled the request to allow LNAA to schedule a meeting where the board and Northampton County Council could attend and discuss the extension.

Schware currently serves as a board member of LNAA. The authority consists of a 15-member board of governors. Each member is appointed by the Lehigh County or Northampton County executive.

“The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners felt that it made more sense to move forward that way and perhaps set a model on how to proceed with other issues affecting both counties,” Schware said. “Ultimately, both our board and the Northampton County Council will have to schedule separate votes on the charter extension.”

In the LNAA extension request, the authority said such an extension will provide it time to enter into a lease with a hangar tenant, as well as execute another agreement with a rental car company.

The authority needs Lehigh and Northampton counties to amend the articles to extend the term, now set to expire in 2035.

The date, time and location of the meeting have not yet been determined.