The Elko TV District board voted Sept. 9 to authorize district representatives to act for the district in seeking and administering Bureau of Land Management right‑of‑way grants tied to access roads, and discussed a plan that would have Maggie Creek Ranch contract and lead repairs to the Grindstone access road to speed construction and lower costs.

The board approved a motion authorizing Mike Murphy, of DCS civil engineering services, and Ken Wiley to “coordinate and act for the district in signing and working with the BLM for right of way grants related to access roads for the district,” the motion said; the board recorded the motion as carried. The authorization allows Murphy and Wiley to communicate directly with BLM staff and to submit documents needed to update an expired grant.

Why it matters: A roughly 1.1‑mile stretch of road that provides access to the Grindstone communication site sits partly on BLM easement and has an expired right‑of‑way that needs administrative cleanup. The board and staff said completing repairs before winter would preserve access to mountain sites, lower future maintenance needs and enable planned upgrades to district infrastructure.

Staff described a two‑track approach: have Maggie Creek Ranch act as the lead contracting party and reimburse the ranch for materials and work, while district staff monitor the contractor’s performance. Mike Murphy said that approach could “allow us to do a lot of that work this fall” rather than waiting months for a formal public bid and contract cycle. Murphy and other staff reported the ranch agreed in principle and that the ranch’s superintendent, John Griggs, had been consulted.

Legal and procurement questions are unresolved. Nancy Porter, the board’s legal reviewer, told staff that projects with an estimated cost at or above the prevailing wage threshold — cited in the meeting as $250,000 — would trigger state prevailing‑wage and public‑bidding rules. Murphy told the board the district will meet with Porter to confirm whether an agreement that reimburses the ranch and uses a time‑and‑materials contractor could avoid a full bid process; the board scheduled a follow‑up legal meeting.

Staff reported other cost and logistics details discussed with potential contractor Q & D: the ranch may waive royalties on pit material, saving about $1 per ton; typical gravel costs discussed were in the range of $7–$8 per ton. Staff estimated that for projects above $100,000 contractors typically must post payment and performance bonds, adding to contractor prices.

The BLM grant that covers a portion of the road ran for 30 years and, according to staff, expired Aug. 14. The BLM field manager told staff she is not concerned about routine regrading work and advised the district to follow best management practices and remain within the original 40‑foot easement during maintenance.

What’s next: Staff will meet with legal counsel and with the ranch to finalize draft documents and return to the board with a recommendation and any required contract language. The board directed staff to send meeting minutes and an authorization letter to the BLM as part of the reactivation/cleanup process.

Ending: The board emphasized speed and compliance: staff said they would pursue paperwork to clear the expired grant and hoped a ranch‑led approach, if legally permissible, would let crews repair the worst stretches before winter and finish the project in late spring or early summer.