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KAUA 2021 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

KAUA 2021 MINUTES – BLM KINGMAN FIELD OFFICE 2455 MISSION BLVD, KINGMAN AZ (10:00 a.m.)

  1. CALL TO ORDER 10:02 a..m.

All right of way / voting members asked to take a seat at the meeting table or front row of the attending seating in the room.   Attending were provided access to a printed 2020 Financial, Road, Technical Committee reports with a copy of the KAUA ByLaws as amended 2005

  1. SIGN-IN

Ken McLaughlin-KAUA President, Wecom/E&T Sites

Joey Bringhurst-KAUA Secretary Treasurer, Wecom

David Mikels, Arizona State Field Communications

Michael Kidd, Kinder Morgan Inc.

Nate Maakested, AZ G&T

Jason Chapman, AZ G&T

Lidia Ortiz, Kinder Morgan

Keith Thomas, Carrier Communications

Joshua Turvy, Arizona Department of Public Safety

Jack Gunnoe, Riverside Radio Communications

Steve Levin, Radio Central Lake Havasu City

Shane Stratton, Unisource Energy

Bille Jo Perkins, Murphey Broadcasting

Trevon Morgan, Las Vegas Metro Police Department

Jon Abernathy, American Tower Corporation

Ran Hanks, Mohave County Flood Control District

Paul Fix, Cameron Broadcasting

Dustin Lewis, Lewis Equipment

Micaela Carlson, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office

Steve Padilla, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office

Paul Castillo, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Ted Roper, Mohave County Flood Control District

Duane Dunn, Wecom

Paul Baughman, Mohave County Flood Control District

Farron Eckelbarger, Advanced Ministries

Jack Trahan, Wecom / E&T Sites / Mohave County TV District

Ted Lienhard, Nevada Department of Wildlife

Michael Armor, Everlast Infrastructure

 

NOTE TO ALL: Committee reports are recorded on the KAUA 2020 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES.  Apologies for any names miss-spelled or other errors, please contact Ken McLaughlin at Wecom 928-753-3829 or email kenm@wecominc.com for any urgent corrections.  They will be posted immediately.  The minutes will be finalized at the next KAUA Meeting to be announced in 2022.

READING OF THE MINUTES – Motion to accept the 2019 and 2020 Minutes as printed and published on KAUA website by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom and seconded by PAUL BAUGHMAN-Mohave County Flood control and without further discussion was passed unanimously.

 FINANCIAL COMMITTE REPORT–A printed copy & KAUA weblink  2020 & 2021 Financial Report and the report was made available to the attendance.  Following some questions by attending and answers by Secretary Bringhurst a motion to accept the Financial Committee report as provided and as published on the KAUA Website a motion was made by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom and seconded by Nate Maakested-AZ G&T.  Motion passed unanimously.

TECHNICAL COMMITTE REPORT– A printed copy of the KAUA Technical Report was made available to the attending and discussed by President Ken McLaughlin-Wecom. With no questions or further discussion a motion was made by MICHAEL KIDD-Kinder Morgan and seconded by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom to accept the Technical Committee Report as published on the 2020 Minutes and passed unanimously.

 ROAD COMMITTEE REPORT– A copy of the KAUA Road Committee Report was made available to the attendance and discussed by President Ken McLaughlin. Discussion followed regarding issues on the road conditions for all the sites.   Specific issues would be addressed under new business regarding possible action to address repairing the road.  A motion to accept the KAUA Road Committee Report was made by DAVID MIKELS-Arizona State Field Communications and seconded by JON ABERNATHY-American Tower with unanimous vote to accept the report as published on the 2020 minutes.

DETERMINATION OF STANDING MEMBERS– listed as of July 29, 2021

Refer to the KAUA 2020 financial report.  Members out of Good Standing have already made arrangements to make corrections and meet fee requirements.   It is anticipated that 100% of KAUA right of way leaseholder members will be in “Good Standing” shortly.

 

  1. OLD BUSINESS– None lodged or beyond the 2019 KAUA Annual Meeting
  2. NEW BUSINESS

INCLUDES REQUESTS FOR PROPOSED CHANGE/MODIFY THE 2005 KAUA BY-LAWS:

  1. Entertainment for motion and possible action to apply 2019 Annual Transmitter Fees/Road Assessments to all site/lease holders due to no collections from 2020.   As a result of the KAUA/BLM process to have a 2020 Annual Meeting, Site Inspections and assessments as per the KAUA 2005 ByLaws and past precedent a need to fund the repair of the roads that are still in use and of need of repair is a matter of urgency.  In order to keep advancing the funding to a goal of improving or repairing the site roads.  A motion to apply the 2019 assessment applied to all Right of Way / Leaseholders to the 2020 assessment was made by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom and seconded by PAUL BAUGHMAN-Mohave County Flood Control.  With no further discussion the motion was passed unanimously.   Following this vote, the KAUA President asked the Secretary Treasurer to begin the process of mailing out Assessment invoices effective immediately.
  2. Road conditions and contractor fees for damaged roads; additional comments and possible motion & action by KAUA membership.  DUSTY LEWIS-Lewis Equipment discussed the current costs of road repair construction industry, equipment operation and all other aspects associated with the KAUA right of way road locations.    Operating costs have risen sharply even within the past two years.  MR. LEWIS is currently working on a new project for another right of way lease holder on the Hayden Peak road and understands the KAUA challenges on this issue.  LEWIS Equipment can provide more information to the KAUA once he has assessed the roads and can offer some advise to the Road Committee. 
  3. Oatman / Goldroad Crest RF high power emission restrictions ARTICAL IV Section 1, Item C paragraph 3) Goldroad Crest; Farron Eckelbarger/Steve Greely.   As per a request, FARRON ECKELBARGER-Advanced Ministries was given the floor to describe a project to build a new FM radio high power tower at the Oatman Goatroad Crest communications site.  FARRON asked if the voting members would consider changing the ByLaws to allow this project to move forward.  A discussion followed in which several members suggested that further study, preparation and alternative methods should be explored.  Having several comments from voting and non-voting members suggesting that the technical standard rule for the Oatman Goadroad Crest not be changed, FARRON was offered to make a motion on the issue in which he declined due to the discussions that took place.  It was suggested by several members that BLM should look into extending or modifying a right of way that may (if possible)  accommodate Advanced Ministries to proceeding in some way  on the matter.   KAUA President will prepare some guidance on the ByLaw amending procedure to FARRON according to the KAUA 2005 ByLaws.  No further action by KAUA.
  4.  Snow removal clause – Article 1 Section 2     Question asked to the membership if there was an interest to remove the “To provide coordination of funds and labor for maintenance and snow removal on the portion of the site access roads which must be maintained by and for the existing users; and..” SNOW REMOVAL from the provision due to not being done for more than a decade, possible financial complications if a voting member where to insist and lack of road funds needed to perform road improvements at this time.  NATE MAAKSTED-AZ G&T pointed out that removing the term “snow removal” is a decision by the KAUA following advice from the road committee and there is no need to remove it.  Several others in attendance agreed.  A motion to not take action and leave Article 1 Section 2 as is was made by JON ABERNATHY-Amercian Tower and seconded by NATE MAAKSTED-AZ G&T was made.   All attending voted to not take any action on Article 1 Section 2 unanimously.
  5. Schedule site inspections for Hualapai Mtn-Potato Patch (upper/lower), Black Mesa, Hayden Peak and Getz Peak (north/south) following discussion the KAUA body decided by unanimous vote on the following inspection dates for the 2021 year following motion by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom/E&T Sites and JON ABERNATHY-American Tower.   See below for specific dates and times.
  6. Oatman Goldroad Crest RIGHT OF WAY ISSUE:  JACK TRAHAN-Wecom E&T Sites informed the attendance that there are existing Right of Way issues that should be addressed as soon as possible.  The current owners of the commonly know property “Goldroad Mine” owns mining claims and access rights to the road leading to the Oatman communication sites.  Jack said he was in the process of updating records and agreements for his site (E&T Sites) and that it is extremely important that the KAUA work with the BLM to possibly form a Users Group/KAUA agreement with the mine.   Technically (not immediately likely yet) the mine could impose an access restriction over the claims which would cut off use of the road.  This matter should be addressed as soon as possible as it wont take care of itself.   It is anticipated that the mine would be reasonable but is issue is ultimately up to the the owners of the claims.  Each right of way holder needs to review their lease to at least research if the mine claim is mentioned.

HUALAPAI MOUNTAIN:  Two inspection teams to begin on Potato Patch and Hayden Peak to begin at 9:00 a.m. (Arizona time) on Tuesday October 5th, 2021.  Inspections on north and south Getz Peak should begin by 11:00.

OATMAN GOLDROAD CREST: Monday November 1st 2021   Upper high power sites will begin to be accessed by 1 of 2 inspection teams BLM/KAUA inspectors before 9:00 a.m. while the lower power area is being inspected.

>>ALL FACILITIES NEED TO BE OPEN FOR INSPECTION AND LEASEHOLDER REP PRESENT<<

  1. ELECTION OF OFFICERS – ALL POSITIONS WILL NEED TO BE FILLED;Vice President position is vacant.

The following where elected by motion, second and unanimous vote by all attending right of way lease holders present:

PRESIDENT- Ken McLaughlin-Wecom/E&T Sites

VICE PRESIDENT – Paul Baughman, Mohave County Flood Control District

SECREATRY-TREASURER – Joey Bringhurst, Wecom

 

  1. APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTES

The following comities were filled voluntarily by attending the meeting.

Financial Committee: JOEY BRINGHURST-Chairman, KEN MCLAUGHLIN-Member, JON ABERNATHY-Member

Technical Committee:  KEN MCLAUGHLIN-Chairman, DUANE DUNN-Member, FARRON ECKELBARGER-Member, JACK TRAHAN-Member.

Road Committee: DUSTIN LEWIS (Lewis Equipment) – Chairman, KEN MCLAUGHLIN-Member, FARRON ECKELBARGER-Member, TED ROPER-Member.

President McLaughlin thanked all for volunteering and pledged to support and assist in all work performed by the committees as usual for the past 16 years.

  1. COMMENTS BY MEMBERS

JACK TRAHAN-Wecom spoke to the membership and articulated the importance of KAUA and serving the users group.   It was specifically pointed out that lack of participation and support would be disastrous for all present KAUA in attendance  in which he pointed out factual examples by other mountain sites and groups of communication providers struggling with a multitude of issues and frustrations.  There are other associations like KAUA that have had successful outcomes from the same challenges that this body sometimes faces.   All need to participate, keep their organizations informed and paid up on fees.

  1. ADJOURNMENT

Motion by JACK TRAHAN-Wecom/E&T Sites and seconded by NATE MAAKESTED-AZ G&T to ajourn the meeting.  Motion carried unanimously.

Thank you all for attending and volunteering!  We will figure stuff out and fix things  !

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Ken McLaughlin-KAUA President and Joey Bringhurst-Secretary Treasurer