Mountain Air Ranch Minutes of the Board of Directors for March 12, 2026 The meeting was held online and called to order at 5:33 pm. Carla Gurovich, Jack Williams, Ronnie Thomas, Jim Williams, Riah Onstott, Danny Babish and Christine Hansen were present. Chris M., MAR operations manager. Adam S., Membership Chair, and Kabir P., Treasurer, were also present. Guests included: Ellen R., Guest Comments :
Approval of January 8 regular Meeting Minutes Motion to approve: Riah; 2 nd : Danny; Approved.
Review Email motions passed since January 8 meeting –
- 1/17/2026: Motion by Jim W to approve the 2026 budget as presented contingent
on a review of the chart of accounts, as revised mid-year. Second by Jack. All in favor with last vote on 1/22 from Christine.
Membership Report Membership report was emailed on March 11, 2026.
The membership numbers as of March 7 are:
Male 362 64.18% Female 202 35.81% Total 564 Full 439 77.8% FOM 125 22.1% Total 564 New Members Brunch Sunday May 17 th 10a-12p Membership Mixers June 13 th , July 11 th , August 22 nd Manager’s Report The report was emailed on emailed on March 11, 2026, and is attached to the bottom of these minutes along with annotations made during the meeting.
Treasurer’s Report – Kabir P Kabir projected a Balance Sheet and some Activity Reports during the meeting, highlighting some specific areas:
• Motion to approve from Danny; 2 nd from Jack. Approved.
OLD BUSINESS
Traveler’s Insurance Claim – Jim
- Several weeks ago, contacted Kim Pham, the adjuster handling our insurance
claim. I asked her for an update as to when the claim would be settled and why the delay.
- Kim was on vacation but a second adjuster was available to handle any questions.
He informed me our claim had been placed as inactive. He moved it back to active status and took notes that would be provided to Kim on her return in two weeks.
- On her return, Ms. Pham contacted me and requested photographs and provided a
spreadsheet of our invoices with more questions attached.
- Chris compiled more photographs (annotating each one) and provided the answers
to all of Ms. Pham's questions.
- I submitted all this new information early this week.
- I will contact Ms. Pham next week and see where we are. This is the latest of
several attempts to satisfy their questions.
If once again we hit a wall, I think it's time to turn it over to Allen. But let's give it one more chance.
Another tactic would be to send the bill to Chuck W. and have Chuck put pressure on his agent to get the claim settled.
- Where do funds from claim payment go?
o Operating account to increase funds available for repair/improvements (since expenditures should have been allocated against repairs originally)?
Gate Repair/Replacement Proposal – Riah/Chris Riah provide pricing for four different options (see attached) Pool Shade Structure Options – Jack Jack did some research with both Planning and Building departments at JeffCo.
- Planning and Zoning had no issue, and they said according to our ODP we are
allowed accessory buildings (good news).
- The building department said that because we are in a wildfire zone it would
have to be a structure similar to the one over the hot tub or the massage pavilion. It cannot be fabric and it cannot be semi-permanent umbrellas unless that are 4ft apart.
Jack recommends that we look at the offerings of Cleary Buildings and ask them to provide a proposal (see document pasted to these minutes). The proposed structure would be 30’ x 40’ x 8’4” and would be $20,058 not including a survey, permit or the additional required pavers. If we wanted a concrete floor (rather than the pavers, Jack gave a rough estimate of $10,000.
One related bit of other information: On any future outdoor building permit a surveyor must get the exact location and distance from the property line. They keep finding it 2026 Project Prioritization and Approval (Items listed in potential priority order).
See attached worksheet. Need to:
- Have estimates
- Designate which projects will be handled under the current 2026 budget items
for Repairs and/or Improvements
- Designate which could be funded by donations (e.g., shade structure, lounge
chair purchases)
- Determine if any should be addressed with capital improvement balance
o Current Shop Project underway o Roads o Beetle Kill and Fire mitigation o Lighting at Gatehouse, Clubhouse o Gate repairs/replacement o Increased shaded seating at pool o Improve the landscaping on the south side of the lodge and install 2 corn- hole courts o Build surrounds for the porta potties.
o Outdoor stage o Drop-down movie screen
- Also need to consider purchase of a new truck
Technology & Wi-Fi Update & Recommendations – Riah Upgrade office machines and gate system; internet good.
Sent phone system proposal to Chris with minimal cost to MAR.
Conservation Easement – Jim W (Review the documents sent by Jim W) Why a conservation easement? For Mountain Air Ranch, it would be a method to monetize an asset which we do not plan to develop. It provides funds from our land without having to sell parts or take a mortgage, which is against our by-laws.
- Phone meetings with Tony Caligiuri of Colorado Open Lands and Christine
Strickland with the Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) – the latter is responsible for Trusts in our area
- An easement could possibly mean 7 figure money for us on a cost of $70,000
to $100,000 to obtain. Ms. Strickland stated that since we are zoned Planned Development, our evaluation could come in substantially higher than agricultural zoning.
- The legislature is currently going over house bill 26-1230 which is going to be
voted on in May. The bill will extend the tax credit which is due to expire soon.
This has several Trusts in Colorado on hold until May. They are all waiting to see what impact this will have going forward. While this bill is pending, both Trusts advised me that it was not a good idea to start spending money on the various requirements to put forward an easement until the bill has passed. If this is something we think we will ultimately do, their suggestion is that we wait until May before we move forward. The legislature is currently hesitant to hand out tax credits.
Recap of Other Pending Items
- Pool Area Electrical Upgrades - Jack & Jim W
- Deck and Deck Coverings Guidelines for Approval – Riah & Chris – To be
addressed when a draft is ready
- Facilities Bylaws Approval – Carla may take a stab at drafting new
proposed bylaws; what happens with trash cans?
NEW BUSINESS Chris: Article for newsletter regarding alertness to trespassing – does not need BOD approval Next Meetings: Regular Meeting – in person on May 7, 2026, at 5:30 pm Business Plan Meeting – tbd Adjourn: Motion from Ronnie, 2 nd by Danny; unanimously approved. 7:21pm Mountain Air Ranch Manager’s Report Date: March 2026 Prepared by: Chris May, Manager
1.1 Account Balances Current account balances are as follows:
These balances represent the current available funds within their respective accounts and will continue to be monitored as operational expenses and seasonal preparations increase as we move into the spring and summer season.
1.2 Financial Administration
- Meeting with Kabir P. (Treasurer) – March 7:
Jim B.’s access to QuickBooks has been removed and Kabir P. has been added. During this meeting, I submitted my proposed revisions to the Chart of Accounts to improve financial clarity, specifically separating capital improvements, maintenance, and operational supply expenses .
Additionally, a request was submitted to Pritesh Patel, Business Banker at JPMorgan Chase – Remington Branch (Littleton, CO) to remove Jim B. as a signer on the Ranch bank accounts and add Kabir P. as an authorized signer.
Kabir and I will continue working together to refine the Chart of Accounts, so it better serves the financial reporting needs of Mountain Air Ranch . These improvements will help ensure that budgeting and financial tracking are more accurate and easier to manage in the future.
2.1 Operations Key focus areas include:
- Property maintenance and springtime readiness
- Coordination with Trey and Ben on daily maintenance tasks
Special projects currently underway or in the planning process include:
- Screen repair and replacement in the Lodge, Kids Room, and Shower House
- Construction of outside showers at the Adam & Eve Bathhouse
- Replacing the ceiling in the Workshop and Pool Mechanical Room
- Scheduling the pool opening — weather permitting, with April 13th as the target date
- Scheduling the opening of trash service and porta-potties
- Organizing and executing a successful, drama-free site move and change month
- Managing the Annual Site Agreement process
- Planning and preparing for the Annual Clean-Up Weekend scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd
2.2 Proposed High Season Staffing Staffing:
Account Balance Distribution Account $109,514.6 7 Capital Improvement Account $55,996.40 Child Credit Account $38,584.60 Memorial Garden Account $27,288.14 Total Funds Across Accounts $231,383.8 1
- Chris M. — Manager — 50–70 hours per week
Overall Ranch management, operations oversight, staff coordination, facilities supervision, financial administration, and event support.
- Ben G. — 40 hours per week
Grounds, pool, and building maintenance. Cleaning support when needed.
- Trey C. — 32 hours per week
Grounds, pool, and building maintenance. Cleaning support when needed.
Trey will also be working weekends in the Lost Bikini Grill .
- Indi J. — 40 hours per week
Responsible for keeping MAR’s buildings and grounds clean and tidy .
- Ellen R. — 24–30 hours per week
Office operations specializing in AA N R membership processing , along with general daily business operations.
- Janet SJ. — 24–32 hours per week
Office operations specializing in Accounts Receivable (AR) along with general daily business operations.
Developer and administrator of the Personal Payment Agreement (PPA) program .
Office Operations The MAR office will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM beginning April 1, 2026 , totaling 56 public-facing hours per week .
From April 1 through the first week of May , office operations will require approximately 72 staffing hours per week to support early season activity.
From mid-May through the end of September , peak season operations will require approximately 130 staffing hours per week to accommodate increased guest traffic, member services, reservations, and administrative workload.
From October 1 through October 31 , staffing needs will decrease to approximately 70 hours per week as seasonal activity begins to slow.
From N ovember 1 through March 31 , the office schedule transitions to winter hours of 5 hours per day, 7 days per week , requiring minimal staffing during the off-season.
Additional staffing will allow the office to effectively manage guest and member check-ins, phone calls, membership processing, accounts receivable, reservations, general daily administrative operations, and assist with house cleaning when needed .
Proposed Additional Staffing To meet the operational demands of the high season and current staff limitations , I believe we will require an additional 2 to 3 staff members to adequately support maintenance, cleaning, guest services, and event operations.
In addition, I will be looking for candidates with skills in social media, marketing, and merchandise sales , particularly to help promote Mountain Air Ranch online and support the development and sales of MAR swag and branded merchandise .
Deela C. and Charlie M. may be able to fill most of this staffing need depending on their availability and scheduling.
Volunteer Opportunities Mountain Air Ranch has always benefited from strong volunteer participation. As we move into the busy season, several opportunities exist for members to help support Ranch operations and property stewardship.
Current volunteer opportunities include:
- Annual Clean-Up Weekend
- Fire Mitigation Projects
- Weed Whacking and Trail Maintenance
- Highway Clean-Up
These volunteer efforts help maintain the Ranch, improve safety, and strengthen the sense of community that makes Mountain Air Ranch unique.
2.3 Site Moves & Siteholder Coordination April and May are important transition months at Mountain Air Ranch as siteholders prepare for the upcoming season, site changes occur, and seasonal operations begin to ramp up.
A total of 7 sites became available this year .
2 existing siteholders decided to move:
- Chuck W. — Site #416
- Darren B. — Site #346
N ew siteholders include:
- Jim & Julie W. — Site #518
- Pacho & Camie — Site #408
- Devon & Rachel — Site # 102
- Mark & Dawn — Site #212
The three remaining available sites are #122, #124, and #126 , with new siteholders TBA .
At the completion of the site assignment process, I will be sending an email to all affected parties outlining the move dates, times, and responsibilities of everyone involved to ensure the process runs smoothly and efficiently.
Additionally, the Doug Triggs Trailer has been leased for the 2026 season for $1,000 per month . I will be preparing the lease agreement shortly, with occupancy beginning May 1st .
The goal is to facilitate a smooth site move and change period that is organized, respectful, and drama-free for all involved .
The staff is working closely with the Entertainment Committee to complete the calendar of events for the 2026 high season .
Additionally:
- Friday N ight Fun-Raisers will be moved to the Community Kitchen. (maybe every other Friday; sign up sheet in
newsletter; maybe adding something to make it more social)
- I suggest these funds be directed toward the purchase of a new or used plow truck to support Ranch operations and winter
property maintenance.
July 4 th big weekend
Completion of Ceiling Replacement in the Workshop The ceiling in the Mountain Air Ranch workshop is currently in need of replacement. The goal of this project is to complete the removal and replacement of the existing ceiling while improving electrical, plumbing, and mechanical safety systems.
Project Scope
- Electrical Improvements
- Replace or convert all wire covers and outlets to waterproof rated fixtures
- Remove all ceiling electrical boxes and relocate them to the walls
- Hard-wire all ceiling lights
- Repair or replace the electrical box
- Replace all extension cords with permanent wiring
- Plumbing
- Adjust pitch on drain from sauna overflow
- Modify floor to allow proper drainage
- Create drainage for filter tanks
- Add a floor drain in the wet room
- Install plumbing hangers where needed
- Hangers and Mounts
- Remount flue spout
- Replace gas lines and install additional hangers
- Remove unused or outdated materials from ceiling
- Replace cloth hangers with code-compliant hangers
- Install heater protector for heating system
- Repair air vents (top and bottom)
N ote: Approximately 95% of the above work must be completed before the new ceiling can be installed.
Ceiling Replacement Materials & Cost - Ben Item Co st Waterproof Wire $13 8 Ceiling Material Options Estimated Total Cost Drywall Option: $1,012 Steel Option: $1,196 Labor will be performed primarily by Ranch staff , minimizing project costs.
Replace Existing Televisions with Roku Smart TVs & Discontinue DirecTV Service Mountain Air Ranch currently maintains a DirecTV subscription costing $308 per month ($3,696 annually).
Replacing existing televisions with Roku Smart TVs would allow access to streaming services directly through the Ranch’s internet connection while eliminating the satellite service.
Repurposing Existing Equipment Existing televisions may be repurposed throughout the Ranch for:
- Event information displays
- Staff training screens
- Common area media displays
- Maintenance or workshop use
Financial Impact Eliminating DirecTV would remove the $3,696 annual operating expense .
Full Proposal Full proposal and cost analysis — TBA Outlet Boxes $10 0 Ceiling Lights $16 0 Hangers $60 Heater Protector $65 Drain Adapter $5 1" Drain Insert $20 Screws $45 Ten (10) 2x4s $39 Mud / Foam $50 Tape $10 Rubber Coat $12 0 Item Co st Option Co st Fire-Coded Moisture Resistant Drywall $20 0 Galvanized Steel Panels $38 4 Chris May Manager Mountain Air Ranch
New Front Gate Options Pricing
Gate Hardware Lazy Gate Option 1 Tilt-A- Way Option 2 Gate Opener & Exit Sensor $ 16,390.00 Gate & Opener - Assembled $ 24,511.79 Gate $ 7,500.00 LED Status $ 928.93 Shipping Not Quoted Shipping $ 1,650.00 Total $ 23,890.00 Total $ 27,090.72 Lift Master Swing - HD Option 3 Lift Master Double Swing Option 4 Opener $ 3,677.00 Opener $ 5,264.00 Gate $ 7,500.00 Gate $ 7,500.00 Shipping $ 359.00 Shipping $ 359.00 Tax $ 161.06 Tax $ 229.46 Total $ 11,697.06 Total $ 13,352.46 Access Control Unifi Access Main Hub Kit $ 799.00 LPR $ 398.00 Cards x200 $ 60.00 $ 1,257.00 Option 1 - Lazy Gate $ 25,147.00 Lift Gate - 16 Ft Option 2 - Tilt-A- Way $ 28,347.72 Lift Gate - 16 Ft Option 3 - Lift Master Swing $ 12,954.06 Single Swing - 16 Ft Option 4 - Lift Master Double $ 14,609.46 Double Swing - 8x8 - 16 Ft Riah recommends this option for the grand entry and motor burnout; have backup systems in case of power outage.
Kabir: What is cost of labor if we do this installation in- house?
Chris: we do have an anonymous donation of at $2700; our gate is not a security gate.
2026 Project Prioritization & Approval
*Chris and Carla to discuss options for budgeting; Riah has extra $ in IT budget for access system for gate + donations brings costs down to $10k for gate system — will discuss further by email
Previously
Proposed Project
Estimato
r Estimate
Cover in
2026
Repairs
Budget
Cover in
2026
Improve
ments
Budget
Board
Priority
(3 High,
2
Medium,
1 Low, 0
None)
Board
Approval
as of
3/10
Solicit
Donation
s
Shop Area
(already in
progress?)
Chris/
Jack
$1200 for
ceiling
replacement
only
Yes
Buildings Yes
2026 Road
Resurfacing Chris $8,000
Budget -
$23,300
land/repairs
Beetle Kill & Fire
Mitigation Chris $
Volunteer
labor/staff
labor
Gate Repairs/
Replacement
Riah/
Chris
$14,609 (b4
labor)
Increased Shading
& Seating at Pool
Jack/
Carla $20-35,000 Yes
Improve
landscaping on S
side of lodge and
install 2 corn-hole
courts Chris
$1,500 labor
$1,500
materials
Build Surrounds
for Porta Potties Chris $700
Outdoor Stage Chris
Not needed if
we do shade
structure
New Ranch Truck Chris
$8-12,000
used w/plow
attached
2026 MAR Projects & Allocation Total Budget 2026 Repairs Improvement s Total 6700 Repairs & Maintenance 4220 4220 6705 Land (Should include roads and Beetle Kill Projects) 13300 10000 23300 6710 Buildings 1230 1200 2430 6711 Clubhouse 4800 4800 6712 Lodge 450 450 6713 Sauna Building 200 2600 2800 6720 Vehicles 2800 2800 6725 Equipment, Machinery 700 700 6730 Equipment, Recreation 250 250 6740 Furniture & Fixtures 1250 1250 6745 Office Equipment (New Computers?) 2400 2400 0001 POOL AREA 4650 4650 0008 ELECTRICAL UPGRADES (Could include shop electrical?) 2100 2100 TOTALS 31600 20550 52150
Conservation Easement
I had a phone meeting with Tony Caligiuri of Colorado Open Lands in early February. Mr. Caligiuri is
the President of the Trust and does intake for the organization. He updated me on what is currently
going on with Conservation Easements in the legislature and introduced me to Christine Strickland
of the Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT). MALT is a sub chapter of Colorado Open Lands and
handles property along the mountain areas in Jefferson County and the other counties closer to the
front range (where we are located).
After being introduced by email to Christine Strickland with MALT, we then had a phone meeting to
go over Mountain Air Ranch as a potential candidate for a conservation easement. Ms. Strickland
stated it is of interest to the trust when an organization such as ours is willing to nominate acreage
that lies closer to ongoing development - as we currently do.
Acreage in Jefferson County is going for $20,000 to $40,000 per acre depending on access,
topography, etc. When determining whether this is something of interest to Mountain Air Ranch,
there is a sample of what it means for a $1,000,000-evaluation contained in the primer provided by
Colorado Open Lands (attached). It could possibly mean 7 figure money for us on a cost of $70,000
to $100,000 to obtain. Ms. Strickland stated that since we are zoned Planned Development, our
evaluation could come in substantially higher than agricultural zoning.
On the political front, the legislature is currently going over house bill 26-1230 which is going to be
voted on in May. The bill will extend the tax credit which is due to expire soon. This has several
Trusts in Colorado somewhat on hold until May. They are all waiting to see what impact this will have
going forward. While this bill is pending, both Trusts advised me that it was not a good idea to start
spending money on the various requirements to put forward an easement until the bill has passed. If
this is something we think we will ultimately do, their suggestion is that we wait until May before we
move forward. The legislature is currently hesitant to hand out tax credits. So, we will have to wait
and see.
I have again attached the primer provided by Colorado Open Lands along with an introduction to the
Mountain Area Land Trust. After reading through this, feel free to send me questions which I will
compile & answer for our next board meeting.
Why a conservation easement? For Mountain Air Ranch, it would be a method to monetize an asset
which we do not plan to develop. It provides funds from our land without having to sell parts or take
a mortgage, which is against our by-law