2024 Annual Kingman Area Users Association Meeting-as approved on March 26, 2025.
Thanks to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office for hosting the meeting in their excellent facility. Meeting came to order at 10:01 a.m. at the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office in Kingman. Sign-in & Introductions: KAUA Board, BLM Representatives and Members attending.
ATTENDING IN PERSON
Ken McLaughlin-WecomFiber, KAUA President
Paul Baughman-Mohave County Flood Control, KAUA Vice President
Joey Bringhurst – WecomFiber, KAUA Secretary Treasurer
Dustin Lewis – Lewis Equipment, KAUA Road Committe
Maria Nicoletti-BLM
Jacqueline Brill-Bureau of Land Management
Nate Maakestad – Arizona G&T
Dave Levine – SBA
Duane Dunn – WecomFiber
Darrel Smith – Crown Castle
Jonathan Abernathy – American Tower
Dustin Lewis – Lewis Equipment
Ran Hanks – Mohave County Flood Control
Faron Eckelbarger – AZ Broadcast Eng./Adv. Ministries/Cameron & Murphey/Greely
Shane Stratton-Unisource Electric
Rick Maxwell-Kinder Morgan
Micheal Nalley – Kinder Morgan
Richard Goodin – Arizona Department of Public Safety
Ted Roper – Mohave County Flood Control
Erin Shrecengost – Mohave County Television District
Paul Castillo – Las Vegas Metro Police Department
Trevor Morgan – Las Vegas Metro Police Department
VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE: Instructions given by KAUA President Ken McLaughlin to allow the opportunity for attendees who signed into TEAMS to speak.
Don Petrone – Radio Communications
Patrick Barringer-GovNet
A special thanks to Michaela Carlson – Mohave County Sheriff’s Office for operating the TEAMS virtual meeting.
2022 KAUA MEETING MINUTES:
A copy of the KAUA 2023 meeting minutes, financial report and technical committee report was given to each person in attendance. Following discussion, a motion to accept the 2022 KAUA Meeting minutes was made by Jon Abernathy-American Tower and seconded by Dustin Lewis-Lewis Construction. Motion passed unanimously.
2024 FINANCIAL REPORT:
Secretary Treasurer Joey Bringhurst-Wecom read over the financial report with highlights regarding expenditures for the Oatman/Hualapai Mountain/Getz Peak. There was work done on Getz Peak at the discretion of the Road Committee which there is an outstanding owed for the work & repairs. (Further information was given during the Road Committe Report) Following general discussion, a decision during the Financial Report to apply the total of each annual Getz Peak assessment funds to Lewis Equipment be paid until the entire balance is paid off. A motion to accept the Financial Report was made by Farron Eckelbarger and seconded by Jon Abernathy-American Tower. Motion passed unanimously.
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPORT:
President Ken McLaughlin-Wecom read over the technical report which described the 2024 Hualapai Mountain, Getz Peak and Oatman BLM inspections.
ROAD COMMITTE REPORT:
Chairman Dustin Lewis-Lewis Equipment read the Road Committe report which discussion focused on the phased repairs of the Oatman, Hualapai Mountain and Getz Peak roads. Essential repairs were made while holding some road funds in reserve in the event of an emergency repair needed, i.e., storm damage. Several culverts were installed on the Hualapai road leading to Hayden Peak while other remaining are held in reserve/storage at the Lewis Equipment yard free of storage charge until adequate funds are available to install them in the next phase of repair and road maintenance. Discussion regarding the Getz Peak Road began following in which the Road Committe due to equipment transport costs, severely damaged condition of the road and imminent (storm related) further damage necessitated immediate action to repair the road for vital services at the Getz sites. A discussion was initiated by President Ken McLaughlin-Wecom followed up with several members contributing to see if the Getz Peak users/leaseholders (most were not present or represented) would like to pay off the remainder of the road repairs on Getz or pay it off annually with each of the annual assessments collected by KAUA. Farron Eckelbarger-Arizona of Broadcast Engineering/Advanced Ministries/Cameron Broadcasting/Murphy Broadcasting/Steve Greely proposed to move forward regardless how to pay the balanced to Lewis Equipment. The emergency repair work gave access to a majority of Getz Peak Users. This was seconded by Dave Levine-SBA and passed unanimously. President Ken McLaughlin asked Secretary Treasurer to craft a communication to the Getz Peak users for a decision to pay in one lump sum, increase assessment to maximum or over the course of normal annual assessments.
OLD BUSINESS:
Determination of KAUA Members in good or bad standing with of KAUA – KAUA Financial Report (to be published) Site lease and road fees not paid are technically in violation of the BLM lease terms and conditions per KAUA Bylaws Article III, Section 4, paragraph 2 & 3. Motion to have BLM identifies and contact those users who are delinquent or not in good standing made by Dave Levine and seconded by John Abernathy. Motion passed unanimously.
A request to open a discussion of incorporating annual site inspection results to the www.kingmanradio.com (KAUA) website. Statistical data suggest the hard copy issued to site representatives during inspection have not and are not adequate to inform the site user organizations of BLM site deficiencies and violations of terms and conditions of lease. Having information available on the website (given its easy to remember URL name for the KAUA website) can offer instant access to that information. Jon Abernathy-American Tower suggested a redacted type of page could be added using the BLM AZ number and corrections required without using names, address and phone numbers. Discussion followed in which a motion to incorporate the above type of information page to the KAUA website by Jon Abernathy seconded by Dave Levine-SBA and passed unanimously. Official written notice from the Bureau of Land Management will still be in force and sent to the User/Leaseholder address of record. See KAUA Bylaws Article IV Section 2 It is the leaseholder’s responsibility to ensure the contact information is accurate and inspection compliance is current.
An open discussion was initiated regarding adding a new section to the KAUA website regarding road conditions. President Ken McLaughlin-Wecom who furnishes and operates the www.kingmanradio.com (KAUA) website said he would add that section and maintain road information on the road conditions for Oatman/Haualpai/Getz Peak.
Secretary Treasurer to craft letter to users on Getz Peak to offer option of paying off balance of Getz Peak roadwork. If option is not taken, annual Getz Peak assessments in their entirety will be applied to the current balance of work completed in 2022 until paid off.
SET RATES FOR ROAD FEE ASSESSEMENTS
Changes for Hualapai Mountain-Potato Patch/Black Mesa/Hayden Peak rates to maximum limit divided assessment of $20K, Getz Peak $3K and Oatman $14K per KAUA Bylaw Article III Section 2 Paragraph 1 as motion for action by Joey Bringhurst-Wecom and second by Jon Abernathy-American Tower was made with a unanimous approval of the members present. No objectives heard on teams TEAMS attendees. Motion Passed. No rate changes purposed for the Oatman Goldroad Crest and are remaining the same as the 2022 rates assessments.
SCHEDULE BLM INSPECTIONS:
Following discussion, motions and approval of available dates by BLM Staff, the following are dates and times set for inspections. Please place these dates, times and events on your schedule.
Oatman Goldroad Crest sites: May 14, 2024 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time.
Hualapai Mountain: June 25, 2024 starting with Potato Patch I & II, Black Mesa and Hayden Peak beginning at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time.
Please be advised that your facility is required to be open for inspection pursuant to the terms and conditions of your site lease. KAUA Bylaws Article IV, Section 2(2 A&B) 3&4.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Following nominations, acceptances and votes membership unanimously voted the 2023 KAUA Officers as follows:
President: Ken McLaughlin-WecomFiber
Vice President: Jonathan Abernathy – American Tower
Secretary Treasurer Joey Bringhurst-WecomFiber
COMMITTES:
Following acceptances, the standing 2023 KAUA Committees are as follows:
Financial Committee Joey Bringhurst-Chairman, Ken McLaughlin-member, Steve Greely-member, Jonathan Abernathy-member
Technical Committee Ken McLaughlin-Chairman, members Duane Dunn, Don Petrone, Ran Hanks and Richard Goodin.
Road Committee Dustin Lewis-Chairman, members Ken McLaughlin, Faron Eckelbarger, Jon Abernathy and Ran Hanks.
Please contact Ken McLaughlin kenm@wecomfiber.com if you have questions/comments or corrections to the draft minutes.
COMMENTS BY MEMBERS:
Ken McLaughlin advised membership that at the time of the KAUA meeting, the Smith Peak Improvement Association officers had vacated, and activities suspended. Currently there was no business or collections taking place during time of road deteriorations. The Spirit Mountain/Christmas Tree Pass road is very bad and those areas do not have an association. These are examples of what can happen if there is no effort by the users to maintain roads.
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to adjourn by Joey Bringhurst-Wecom and seconded by Jon Abernathy-American Tower. Unanimous and meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.