ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting-
January 12th 2025- 6 PM ECH Harvey Time
The zoom meeting was called to order and all board members were in attendance.
Jeff Byers began the meeting with a financial report and $294,000 is available in the account.
Tom gave an update about trying to close down the camp location for the winter and do additional road work. There was a bad winter storm which prevented that trip. In December the Martinez boys were able to make it up the road after hours of clearing and found the tent collapsed and under several feet of snow.
Tom discussed building base camp 2.0 and where to put the pole barn. The Martinez boys feel it best to tear down the old Schoony cabin and build the pole barn/sleeping room in its old location. There is additional roadwork that needs completed before their lumber mill can make it up our road which will need to take place before the work begins.
We plan to work with the plans Jeff Byers drafted which were discussed and approved in previous board meetings. It was agreed that we should send the Martinez earnest money to secure their time and assistance in the spring.
Hunting report- NMGF took away all our habitat improvement elk tags. We have been sending in proof of habitat improvements through the years but after the fires those habitat improvements have taken a backseat. This year we planted grasses and we are hoping to get additional tags. No one harvested any elk this fall and no one hunted mule deer.
We sent a letter to the IRS asking for a 2-year extension to prevent being charged tax on unspent insurance funds. Our accountant has said they believe that extension has been granted.
Our lawyers are still working on finding out why our claim is being held up. Tom has submitted the same forms multiple times to FEMA. Our lawyers have asked for a one-on-one meeting with FEMA regarding our claim and our claim alone. We are still waiting for that meeting to take place. Our frustration has been articulated to our firm.
In September Greg Ashworth filmed a full length feature film on the ECH property in honor of shareholder Brent Bellm's late son Landon Bellm. Multiple locations across the property were utilized in the film. The filming went wonderful and the property will be immortalized in film forever. Editing of the film is ongoing and will be completed in late January.
Nanci discovered that the Killen's (2nd cabin at the bottom of our road) have decided not to rebuild, and have canceled their 100 year lease with the NMFS.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:38 Harvey time.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting- via e-mail
August 3rd-August 5th, 2024
On Saturday, August 3rd, ECH President Tom Ashworth sent an email detailing FEMA and our lawyer require a document showing authorization from ECH that the president, and vice president can sign for the corporation.
Tom recommended we create a Resolution of Signing Authority that gives the vice president (Jim Ashworth) and the president (Tom Ashworth) proper authority, as well as shows the treasure's (Jeff Byers) ability to sign our financial documents as Treasurer.
Tom made a recommendation that we add to the by-laws the position of Vice President.
Tom also recommended we officially elect Greg Ashworth to the full position of Secretary. Up to this point, he has been working under the title Recording Secretary.
Jim Ashworth responded via email 8/3/24 to attribute the motion of all Tom's recommendations to him, and voted in favor of all Tom's recommendations.
Greg Ashworth seconded the motion and voted yes via email 8/3/24.
Nanci Ashworth, Jeff Byers, and Jason Dilley voted in favor via email 8/3/24.
Pete Genta voted in favor via email 8/5/24.
The motion was passed without objection.
The current elected officers are as follows-
President- Tom Ashworth
Vice President- Jim Ashworth
Treasurer- Jeff Byers
Secretary- Greg Ashworth
Pete Genta maintains his status as Shareholder Records/Transfers.
The board will amend the bylaws and add all the official officers ASAP.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
July 14th, 2024- 6:05 PM MST
President Tom Ashworth called the meeting to order. Board members in attendance; Jim Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, and Greg Ashworth.
The previous meeting minutes were approved without objection.
Jeff Byers gave a financial report. All payments outstanding have been made. $206,121 remains in the account.
The financial report was approved without objection.
Nanci Ashworth gave a report on the Starlink internet. While it needs a clear line view of the sky, the connection speed is fast.
Greg Ashworth gave a detailed report on generator options for both the future cabin and current tent.
Tom found a gas generator on Northern Tool but has yet to purchase.
Tom reported that John Deere have not delivered on their proposed delivery dates to install attachments to the backhoe. They will start the work next week. They claim the work would take 40 hours but that is being contested by Tom. The original bid was $7,000 but has been lowered to $3,500. Jim Ashworth moved to ratify the decision. Nanci seconded it. The motion was moved without objection.
Tom gave a lawyer update. Joe Lovell reports that payments on lost structures are being paid out. The initial thought was to have all claims be made in full. The government then decided segmenting out the claims would be better; forest, erosion, structures, etc. The government is fighting our numbers on what we value for our tree loss. The structure payments are apparently being paid without much push back from the government. The original fence number was low, so the government is raising that from $7 a foot to over $20 a foot for fence replacement.
Greg gave an update on the ranch. The grasses are coming in strong. Aspen sprouts are everywhere. The ATV is back on property after Charles Martinez fixed the throttle cable.
The insurance company denied our request to add uninsured workers to our insurance policy. We discussed having workers sign a hold harmless agreement to build the pole barn. Various aspects of what that hold harmless should include were discussed and how it should be worded.
Tom gave a hunting report. Our Elk tag allotment has been limited to 1 tag. To get more tags we need to improve the property by planting grasses, or improving water sources. We currently have the largest allotment for our property size. Timmothy grass was suggested.
Nanci updated that Camp Blue Haven donated a framed photo of El Cielo. They also want to pay $10 per hiker, not $5 per hiker.
The matter of the broken bottom gate was discussed. It needs replaced but who will do the work is up for discussion.
The next call is set for October 13th at 6PM MST.
The board meeting was adjourned at 7:14PM MST.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
May 8th, 2024- 6:08 PM MST
President Tom Ashworth called the meeting to order. Board members in attendance; Jim Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, Pete Genta, and Greg Ashworth.
The previous meeting minutes were approved without objection.
A financial report was given by Jeff Byers. Our latest account balance stands at $221,690. There are several invoices still to be paid and we are expecting another $20,000 to be spent in the near future. The financial report was approved without objection.
Nanci Ashworth briefed the board about using Zoom for future meetings, which would be $160 a year. Everyone agreed this would be a wise purchase.
Tom updated the board about the excavator rental and the work completed two weeks prior. Tom, Dan Treptow, Bobby Wells, and Greg Ashworth widened the corners/switchbacks, cutting down trees on both sides of the road, and jack-hammering the hillside with the new backhoe. They also improved the campsite. The current priority is to finish the road and bring up the Martinez lumber mill.
Daniel Unruh is planning on bringing cows up again in the near future. That date is still to be determined.
The accountant says we have 9 months past the filing date to make expenditures of insurance proceeds that would limit income taxes. We considering an escrow account to fund Martinez construction services.
The discussion turned to location of the pole barn the Martinez brothers will build. Higher up the hill from the old Schoony cabin is the current front runner; it is relatively flat and has nearby access to spring water.
Tom stated our lawyers submitted our proof of loss documentation to the government. The final number is $99,000,000 but we are told not to expect approval of that valuation method. FEMA might be willing to have a 3rd party administrator distribution of funds. Each law firm will only have one point of contact for FEMA and clients of law firms are now being given priority. It’s assumed that we will not be taxed on the proceeds of the FEMA payout.
The shareholder questionnaire was discussed with insight gleaned about what the shareholder group would like in a new barn/sleeping loft, including location and amenities.
Nanci discussed Starlink for satellite internet at the ranch. The hardware is $600, plus a power source. It would provide unlimited data, priced at $150 a month for service with no continuous commitment. Board consensus was that such a service is likely to be approved in the future, when location, power source, and storage is developed.
New purchases were discussed including grill, maintenance equipment, tools, and seats for the bulldozer.
The next work to be done is installing the Porta-johns, building the storage shed, and finally building the pole barn.
Additional insurance was discussed for the crews going up to work outside our owner group. Further research is needed regarding umbrella policies.
There are no future visits to the ranch scheduled at this time.
July 14th is the proposed date for the next board meeting.
The board meeting was adjourned at 9:22 MST.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
March 3rd 2024- 7:03 PM MST
Tom Ashworth called the meeting to order. All board members were attendance; Jim Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, Pete Genta, Jason Dilley, and Greg Ashworth. Also in attendance was Dick Ashworth.
The previous minutes were approved without objection.
Nanci motioned we sign up for a video Zoom account for future meetings. The motion was seconded by Jim Ashworth. No objections. The motion passed.
Jeff Byers gave a financial report - our account balance is $256,953.44 . We don’t expect any additional insurance payments.
Jim Ashworth inquired what attachments are needed for the new backhoe. Tom said we could add a rock breaker. If we add extra hydraulics we can expand to even more implements. Backhoe attachment is $2,500. Auger is around $3,000. The rock breaker is $3,000. Currently it has a front and rear bucket.
There have been no trips since Jeff Byers elk hunt. Charles Martinez said there has been lots of wind and a bit of snow and he’d try to check out our road sometime soon. He’ll also bring someone up with him who has bought trees from us in the past who might want to buy more.
There have been no talks with Daniel about grazing but we assume he’ll renew our previous agreements. There have been no updates from game and fish about hunting tags.
Tom tried to dig through receipts to find improvements we've made in the past to help our tax liability. To avoid a $15,000 tax penalty we’ll have to spend all but $60,000 of our current money. Buying farm equipment, sawmill, porta-potty, generator, log splitter, equipment shed, and so on would be large budget items.
Tom said to get Charles and the sawmill up the road we need to improve the road. We need to widen the corners, and some of the switchbacks.
Jim suggested to set up an escrow account we’d use to “pre-pay” for future improvements and fixes.
Tom will ask the accountant the feasibility to pay in advance for the construction for tax purposes.
Jim Ashworth motioned to approve a $20,000 fund to purchase additional implements for the backhoe. Pete Genta seconded. There were no objections. The motion passed.
Jim Ashworth motioned to approve purchasing a generator, 2 porta-potties, tool shed, batteries, solar panels, and ATV not to exceed $20,000. Pete Genta seconded. There were no objections. The motion passed.
Jim Ashworth motioned to approve the rental of an excavator for a week to improve the road; no budget was set. Pete seconded it. There were no objections. The motion passed.
Tom said our lawyer has heard gossip of people receiving funds. He wants to submit notice of loss by March 15th. FEMA is planning to give 50% of the cost to rebuild for personal items lost. There is still a lot of hearsay.
Nanci gave a detailed summary of what she learned from Ron Ortega’s lawyers about other claims. There is still a lot of money left on the table.
Dick Ashworth thanked everyone for their time and diligence. He motioned there be no more wildfires. There were no objections. The motion passed.
Consensus was to tentatively schedule the next meeting for May 8. There being no other business, meeting adjourned at 8:17PM MST.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
December 3rd, 2023- 6:03 PM MST
Jim Ashworth called the meeting to order. All board members were attendance; Jim Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, Greg Ashworth, Pete Genta, and Jason Dilley.
Upon motion the Sept 17th board minutes were approved, with no objections.
Jim Ashworth addressed the valuation change post-fire and the possible need to amend the Right of First Refusal addendum in the by-laws. Maintenance fees post-fire would also need to be addressed, as well as cabin/tent use fee.
Greg Ashworth motioned to suspend rental fees and maintenance fees until a new cabin with tangible upkeep expenses could be calculated. Pete Genta seconded the motion. No objections were made and the motion to suspend maintenance, and property use fees was passed.
Jim Ashworth asked for a managers report and Tom Ashworth said we are looking at a tax bill of $16,000 if the insurance money goes unspent, with deductions deemed appropriate by the IRS. We would need to spend $240,000 to save the $16,000 tax bill. Jeff Byers asked if a contract could be drafted and “pre-pay” for rebuilding an equipment shed and sleeping quarters, then place that money in an escrow account without actually spending the money on tangible goods yet. Getting the advice of our tax professional will be carried out by Tom.
Nanci Ashworth expressed her opinion that the equipment shed location could go anywhere, but decisions for the main cabin location should be very purposeful. She also stated she thinks Bobby and Danny should look at blueprints for the new shed/sleeping quarters.
Tom Ashworth was asked for an update from our attorney but no new updates were available; he will reach out again in the next week or two.
Jim Ashworth asked about future visits. None are planned, but a turkey hunt in April is expected.
Jim Ashworth asked for a hunting report. Tom Ashworth gave an update on tags. A new submission is due every year for habitat improvements to the property for tag allotment, and since there have been no improvements due to the fire we might lose bonus tags. NMGF changed one of our bull tags to a cow tag. Grazing will continue as expected next year by Daniel Unruh and he has paid in full. Our account stands around $295,000.
Jim Ashworth asked to reorganize the board. President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. A new title of project manager was discussed for the rebuild starting as soon as April. Some of Tom’s VP duties could be passed to the new project manager.
Jeff Byers asked to keep his treasurer position and assist as project manager.
Jason Dilley volunteered to take on more responsibility. Pete Genta asked to keep his position of maintaining stock records.
Jeff Byers volunteered to draft a statement of work for the equipment shed/sleeping quarters then we could approach the Martinez family to build the structure. Tom Ashworth said he would call Charles Martinez ASAP to discuss them building the entire project.
Jim Ashworth felt a building committee was being formed between Tom Ashworth, Greg Ashworth, Jeff Byers, and additional duties being taken on by Jason Dilley.
Greg Ashworth accepted the duties of recording secretary and website maintenance.
Nanci nominated Tom Ashworth as the new president of ECH and Jim Ashworth stepped down to VP; motion approved.
By unanimous vote, the board ratified all prior decisions and actions taken on behalf of the Company regarding its claim for compensation from FEMA under the Hermits Peak Fire Assistance Act by Jim Ashworth as President and Tom Ashworth as Vice President. Jim Ashworth and Tom Ashworth remain authorized to act on behalf of the Company with regard to the FEMA claim.
Tom Ashworth took over the meeting and laid out our next steps; to contact the Martinez family regarding building our new building, and buying new construction equipment, potentially a backhoe and sawmill. Timing for the next meeting will be January 14th at 5pm MST.
A joyful bit of gratitude was extended to Jim Ashworth for all his service as past president.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:22 PM MST
ECH Corporation
Shareholder Meeting
November 5th, 2023
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 pm Mountain time and conducted telephonically.
Board members present: Jim Ashworth; Nanci Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Tom Ashworth, Jason Dilly, and Greg Ashworth.
Shareholders present: Dick Ashworth, Katie Ashworth, Brent Bellm, Kurt & Steph Bellm, Tara Wadlow, Julie Byers, Gini Dilly, Sarah Chenoweth, Stephanie Ashworth, Keith Roberts, Ali Stewart, Bobby Wells.
Jim Ashworth called the meeting to order and Jeff Byers took roll-call and a quorum was deemed present. Jim Ashworth provided a summary of events since the last shareholder meeting taking place on September 21st, 2018 and the 15 subsequent board of director meetings. The summary ranged from cabin improvements, building a ranch website, donations, drafting bylaw and buy/sell agreement, tax updates, right of first refusal, the passing of Marvin Roberts, Olga Ashworth, and Landon Bellm, wildfire that destroyed the property/cabin, government programs for debris removal, $290,000 insurance payout, hiring a lawyer to represent us in the fire lawsuits, FEMA rules for payouts, and building of a new platform and tent structure. The dates of those events spanned 2018-present. Jim Ashworth asked if anyone had questions about the update.
Keith Roberts asked how soon the insurance money should be spent before it's taxed. Tom Ashworth answered that we filed an extension and need to spend the money by April of 2024. We get deductions based on rebuilding costs. We have good records from previous remodels but need to spend quite a bit soon. Keith Robert insisted the money gets spent so it’s not lost to taxes.
Tom Ashworth summarized his call with our lawyer Joe Lovell which took place Nov 4th, 2023. Joe said FEMA is constantly in motion and stories never align. We are in the pipeline and we have till April 2024 to submit proof of loss for both business expenses and losses. Professional witnesses attest to our losses and will submit their reports "soon". Payouts could be anything from nearly nothing to very substantial. Replacement costs are hard to determine and formulate, and we can accept or appeal the FEMA offer. We get 1 appeal and then we go into arbitration if a deal isn't reached. We are currently through step one of three in the process to being made whole by the government. The process is as follows; 1. Notice of loss. 2. Proof of loss. 3. FEMA determines loss and makes payment.
Jim Ashworth said we should have FEMA decision within 9 months.
Tom and Greg Ashworth gave updates on various forest rebuilding programs we applied for and our lawyers requested we remove ECH from those programs due to the chances it could hurt our case. Tom gave an update on hazmat removal and the program bounced from agency to agency and we are still trying to get hazmat teams to come do work on the property. Their duties would include clearing dangerous trees and removing hazmat from burned buildings.
Jim Ashworth redirected the conversation to building an equipment shed and sleeping quarters.
Keith Roberts asked where the equipment shed should be placed and how the money would be spent? Jim Ashworth said we want to spend 100% of the insurance buyout. Tom Ashworth discussed various places the shed could go and why we picked Schoony’s for the tent. Jeff Byers designed plans for the equipment shed, but finding manpower is hard. Choosing the location is paramount. Julie Byers stated she begrudgingly agrees with her brother Keith- decisions need to be made about a location for a new cabin.
Jim Ashworth suggested that we move forward with re-electing the incumbent board. Keith Roberts motioned we re-elect the current board. Julie Byers seconded. A vote was called. There were no objections. The current board of 7 was re-elected.
Sarah Chenoweth expressed her gratitude for everyone's hard work and reflected Tom’s concerns moving intelligently towards finding a new cabin location that's harmonious with what the land has become.
Julie Byers suggested another shareholder survey of future build locations.
Greg Ashworth updated everyone on the ranch website and what it contains.
Kurt Bellm asked what the current maintenance fees are and if they are still being collected. Jim Ashworth said that is a board decision that will be decided at the next meeting.
Dick Ashworth asked if any definitive info from the Martinez about using their mill had been gleaned? A few shareholders asked if buying a sawmill of our own might be the smarter choice. Jim Ashworth said that is more for the board to decide, but all valid questions.
Jim Ashworth reflected his appreciation for everyone's hard work over the past 5 years. The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 MST.
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
September 17, 2023
The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm Mountain time, conducted telephonically. All directors were present, namely Jim Ashworth, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Jason Dilley, and Pete Genta.
The minutes of the board meeting held on April 17, 2023, distributed previously, were approved by motion, duly carried.
Jeff had distributed a financial report in advance of the meeting, showing a balance in the corporate account of $293,685.46, which is primarily from proceeds of the insurance claim after loss of the cabin in the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Forest Fires. Tom reported that Dan Unruh did graze cattle on the ranch property this summer, approximately 20 pair of cow/calf, and he expects to bring them down the end of September or early October. Tom also mentioned that the county tax assessor had called, saying they wish to visit the property soon in order to view the remains of the cabin, presumably to make adjustments to real estate taxes going forward.
A brief verbal report was provided on the May 3-7 trip during which a platform was erected at the Schoonmaker site, upon which the new tent was placed. The project was deemed to be successful. Participating in that project were Tom, Jeff, Bobby Wells, Greg Ashworth, and Greg’s friend Chris Cole.
Tom reported that the “final rule” from FEMA has been promulgated. The sequence is for us to file a Notice of Loss (the law firm has most of the info they need for that filing), and then a Proof of Loss. “Wet” signatures are required for those filings, so Tom and Jim can expect an email to that effect soon. FEMA will then have 6 months to review the Notice and Proof filings; the lawyers expect payments to be distributed within 9 months. Tom also reported that the New Mexico Department of Transportation has taken over the task of cleaning up hazardous waste and dangerous dead-fall next to roads; we shall see if there will be progress on that issue.
Regarding upcoming trips: Jeff said that he would be taking a fire box up to heat the tent on his group’s trip the end of October and first of November. Tom expects to close things down with Greg later in November.
Projects for next year: Tom reported that Barty Martinez is still interested in helping us build a multi- purpose structure; perhaps he’ll be able to mill materials and store them, along with other building materials that we purchase, which should help us avoid income tax as we expend insurance proceeds. Tom also reported that he expects Dan Unruh will wish to graze cattle again next year.
Hunting this fall: Jeff will use a bull and a cow tag; another tag is available. Names mentioned were Bobby Pedilla and the Martinez. Consensus was to give the tag to the Martinez in recognition of all their help.
It was acknowledged that it has been several years since our last full shareholders’ meeting. While in earlier years we would combine a meeting with a “work week”, that had not been scheduled before COVID years; now, virtual meetings are quite commonplace, which facilitates scheduling and attendance. Likely agenda items will include insurance and government response to the fires, plans to rebuild, likely changes to maintenance fees and right of first refusal valuations, and board of director election. On the
latter item, there was discussion about the need for a proxy ballot prior to the meeting; consensus was that the board could recommend the current directors be renominated, and if there are other nominees, a proxy could be prepared for a subsequent vote. Consensus was to select a Sunday evening in November for the meeting.
There being no other business, meeting adjourned.
____________________________________ _______________________________ Secretary President
ECH Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
April 17,2023
The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm Mountain time, conducted telephonically. All directors present, namely: Jim Ashworth, Tom Ashworth, Nanci Ashworth, Jeff Byers, Jason Dilley, and Pete Genta. Also calling in was Greg Ashworth.
The minutes of the board meeting held November 3, 2022, distributed previously, were approved by motion, duly carried. Also summarized by Jim and Tom was a call on February 2, 2023, with representatives of the Lovell law firm, during which FEMA’s Notice of Loss form was reviewed and completed for submission.
Jeff reviewed the financials, reporting that the account balance is approximately $297,000 (primarily insurance proceeds), which does not included expenses for materials for the tent platform, solar equipment, and stove totaling approximately $1,900. Tom reported that there is hope that Daniel Unruh will contract with us to graze cattle this season.
No recent visits to the property were reported since Greg’s trip in December, although a crew from the New Mexico Dept. of Transportation attempted to access the ranch for assessment of debris removal (a previous assessment having been done by the Army Corp of Engineers), but was unsuccessful due to too many downed trees on the road.
A trip is planned by Greg, Tom, Jeff, and Bobby for May 3-7 during which the platform materials and tent will be transported and erected, most likely at the old Schoonmaker cabin location. No other plans for trips were reported prior to the hunting season. Interest has been expressed for deer and elk hunting trips by Jeff, Greg, and Kurt.
Tom reported that the attorneys are attempting to get a third party approved to administer the government’s remediation program, but it very likely will be administered by FEMA.
Discussion turned to consideration for construction of a multi-purpose structure, a combination equipment shed/bunk house, sketched plans for which had been distributed by Jeff. Estimates for materials total $25,000; outside labor could be another $25,000. The potential location of the facility was debated, including the Schoonmaker location as well as the previous Harvey site. Consensus was for the tent erection crew to report back on each site’s current condition, pros and cons, including drone footage for an aerial perspective. Upon motion, duly carried, it was approved to proceed with development of the plans.
Tom reported on the condition of the main gate. Although the lock guard had been cut open, it should be able to be re-welded, and a combination lock installed; the gate itself is operational. Tom volunteered to oversee that repair.
Discussion turned to the need to document expenses related to remediation. Consensus was to calculate time at $25 per hour for both travel and work time on the projects, for reimbursement and/or equity injections, beginning with the project to erect the platform and tent.
Communication with the shareholders of ongoing developments was discussed. Jim will ask Greg to load board minutes to the ECH web site.
Nanci reported that she and Bobby are planning to attend the funeral services for Peter Martinez the next weekend. Upon motion, duly carried, is was approved to fund an appropriate donation as a memorial to Peter Martinez. Nanci will provide the name and address to Jeff for sending the donation.
There being no further business, meeting adjourned.
_________________________________. __________________________________ Secretary President
ECH Corporation
Shareholder Meeting
At the Harvey
September 1, 2018
The meeting convened at 1:30 HRT (Harvey Ranch Time).
Board members present: Jim Ashworth; Nanci Hesse, Pete Genta, Jeff Byers and Tom Ashworth. Dick Ashworth and Marvin Roberts were unable to attend.
Shareholders present: Jim Ashworth; Nanci Hesse, Pete Genta, Jeff & Julie Byers, Tom & Julie Ashworth, James & Stephanie Kawamura, Greg Ashworth, Bobby Wells, Kurt & Stephanie Bellm and Tom Nitcznski.
Jim Ashworth opened the meeting with a request if anyone wanted to read the minutes from the previous meeting or accept them as filed. Nanci motioned to accept without review with Julie Byers seconding. The minutes were approved without exception.
Treasurers Report
Nanci provided an overview of ECH finances for the past fiscal year. A copy of the hard numbers can be supplied to any Shareholder upon request. In short, there has been an increase in revenue primarily due to cabin fees, hunting fees and selling Elk sheds that have been stored in the cabin over the years. ECH account balance is $11,164.31, Petty Cash is $172.00. Tax Filings for ECH are up to date and we will be submitting 2018 taxes this October. NM corporate status for ECH is status quo.
Julie Byers made a motion to accept the financial report, Tom Nitcznski seconding. The financial report was approved without exception.
Property Report
It has been many years since Danny Treptow has been to the Harvey. During that time, Tom has been looking after the key items and delivered the following report about the property:
There is a host of items to cover in the property report. This bulletined list is;
A new roof installed on the main cabin. This was completed back in 2016 and has been a very good enhancement.
The burro barn, just West of the main cabin, has been taken down. The Martinez’s were able to come up and remove most of the waste materials and obtain some salvage materials from the pile.
A metal cover was installed over most of the spring that feeds the cabin. This was made out of trees cut from the property and the residual AG panels from another project (spare parts).
The dozer & chipper are in good working condition. We have abandoned the crawler.
The heavy, recent rains have eroded the road a little bit. The road is in reasonably good shape on the upper end but could use some work from the Douglas ranch down to the 1st gate.
A new toolbox was purchased with money given to the ranch as a donation, and the basement was re-organized. All tools that had been stored in the cabin, on the 2nd floor, have been relocated to the basement.
The lights in the basement have been upgraded from florescent to LED. This has made the area much easier to navigate while locating tools and supplies.
The solar panel needs to be reviewed. Not sure if it needs to be upgraded or if an additional panel is needed to replenish the batteries quicker.
The trees in the meadow and basin are filling in our grazing areas very quickly. Tom Nitcznski advised that if we will cut the pine trees back to the line we want to forest to maintain, the aspen trees will follow. This will happen over a period of time. When anyone is at the cabin and is looking for work credits, trimming back these trees in the 2 key areas would be a good place to focus.
The forest service has been marking trees along our road from the 1st gate up to the Harvey. It is believed they are doing this in preparation for a “thinning” effort that may occur in the future. Based on their typical timelines for action, we do not believe it will be anytime soon.
Pete made a motion to accept the Property Report with Nanci seconding. The report was approved without exception.
Old Business
The Shareholder list and quantity of shares per each holder has been reconfirmed by Pete. All records have been cross referenced with all of the hand written certificates and electronic records. Currently, there are 10,167 shares and there are no shares available for sale. The current list, which will be distributed with these Shareholder notes is 100% accurate.
New Business
The Board of Director’s decided to eliminate the Ranch Manager’s position. Tom Ashworth has been looking after all the misc. items the Ranch needs because of his frequent trips on-site and previous involvement with the forest service & department of game & fish. Going forward, the Board of Director’s will look after the general up-keep of the ranch and if there are any major projects to be implemented, a project manager will be selected / hired for that effort.
New projects & upkeep to consider
The floor in the main cabin needs to be updated. There are many material options that could be utilized but nothing has been investigated as of yet. The Board of Director’s will investigate options and come up with a plan & budget to get this accomplished
New shed for holding ECH assets - The basic design will be a pole barn with the roof sloped 1 direction and 3 sides covered to help keep the snow drifts to a minimum, 8” corner beams, metal roof and wood side walls to help it match the main cabin
Reconstruction of the Dam - This is needed to help ensure that we continue to receive the “bonus” Elk tags, since this is our primary source of revenue for the corporation. The Board of Directors is not sure what the best course of action is to restore the integrity of the dam but will be doing some research to identify the most cost effective way forward.
Maintaining our Agricultural Tax status – With the lack of cattle on the property over the past few years, we are concerned about losing our ag tax status. Tom Ashworth has spoken with the appropriate NM State agency but they were less than helpful. He was advised the State has a mandatory “rest period” to allow the land to recover. We are currently in that rest period. Tom will make contact again early next year to find out if we need to take any action to retain our status.
2018 Hunting Season – The Corporation received 4 Elk tags this year; 2-Bull, 1-Cow and 1-Archery (either sex). Unfortunately, the corporation was unable to sell the archery tag this year. The other 3 tags have been allocated to both ECH and non-ECH members this year. Starting next year, the allocation of hunting tags and coordination of hunting periods will be sent to Shareholders no later than July 15th of each year. Lottery results for anyone desiring to obtain ECH elk tags will be notified of the draw by August 15th. Non-ECH hunters will be charged a $200 access fee for big game hunting (except for Elk tag holders) and $50 for small game hunting (i.e. Turkey). Definition of big game and small game will follow the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish hunting regulations. All of this information will be included in the updated ECH hunting policy.
Updated Cabin Usage Fee - The nightly cabin fees will be increased from $50 to $75 a night with a minimum of $25 of that amount being paid in cash. The other amount can be compensated in work credits ($10 per hour). All work completed must be documented on the closeout documentation (in binders by cabin front door) and returned to Nanci at the end of a usage period.
New Annual Maintenance Fee – Due to the uncertainty of revenue generation from our sale of hunting tags & fees, cattle grazing, etc... The board has recommended that an annual flat fee of $50 per shareholder, regardless of how many shares are owned, be implemented to ensure that we cover the common expenses required to keep ECH operational (i.e. insurance, cabin maintenance items, etc.). Please note that cabin fees would not be imposed on Shareholders when at the property for ECH business, business meetings or work week efforts. A vote will be taken on this fee in conjunction with new Board members
Election of 2 New Board Members – Dick Ashworth and Marvin Roberts are retiring from the Board and a new election was held. Four individuals volunteered to be placed on the ballet; Kurt Bellm, Greg Ashworth, Tom Nitcznski & Jason Dilley. Each were given a few minutes to address the Shareholders to advise their comments and qualifications. Pete Genta spoke on behalf of Jason
A written vote was taken on the maintenance fee and new board members.
The maintenance fee was approved unanimously by all Shareholders.
The Shareholders votes were mixed on the new Board members, elected were Greg Ashworth and Jason Dilley.
Kurt suggested that since the maintenance fee was approved, it would be a good to allow each shareholder 1 night’s free stay in the cabin (annually) as a part of the maintenance fee requirement. This would not be accumulative. It would be a “use it or lose it” scenario. All Shareholders in attendance thought this was a good idea and a good incentive to use the cabin annually.
Keys – it has come to light that there may be some Shareholders that do not have a set of keys or an updated set of keys. Anyone may request a set of keys from the Board of Directors and they will be created and sent to you.
Paperwork to Open / Close the Cabin – There is a binder near the front door of the cabin that contains all the procedures for opening, operating and closing the cabin. There is also a check list that needs to be filled out and sent to Nanci after you are down the mountain and back to civilization. This form is also where you will need to document work hour credits. Please send it in with payment for your stay.
It has been quite a few years since the ECH Corporation has hosted a work week. The Board of Directors is working on some small capital enhancement projects (itemized above) and there are many trail and meadows that need attention so the forest doesn’t swallow them up. This is an open ended question to all Shareholders; is there any interest in picking a standing date or week for an annual work week effort? Please email your comments to any Board member so they can be incorporated into the next Board of Directors meeting.
There being no further business, Tom Ashworth made a motion to adjourn, Jeff Byers seconded. The meeting concluded at 4:00 pm HRT.