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Board to end High Ground lobbyist contract in August, reallocate advocacy to river issues
Summary
Mohave County supervisors voted to terminate the High Ground legislative lobbying contract with 30 days’ notice and directed the chair to let the contract expire August 31; the board chair said remaining lobbying funds should be reserved for Colorado River legal and policy work next year.
The Mohave County Board of Supervisors on March 17 approved a motion to terminate the county’s contract with lobbyist High Ground with a termination date in late August and to reserve county lobbying resources for larger, river‑related work in 2026.
Chairman Lingenfelter framed the proposal as a strategic reallocation of limited county resources. He said Mohave County still needs High Ground’s monitoring through the current legislative session but argued that next year the county should concentrate outside legal and lobbying resources on Colorado River post‑2026 guidance and related federal matters, where he said the county will need more legal and policy support.
Motion detail and vote: The motion included a provision to provide the 30 days’ termination notice required by the contract and to set an August 31, 2025 termination date for the High Ground contract. The board approved the motion on voice vote; the chair and multiple supervisors said the county would continue to monitor groundwater bills for the remainder of this legislative session.
Why it matters: Mohave County participates in intergovernmental water negotiations that touch on Colorado River allocations and rural groundwater management. The board majority signaled a shift in near‑term lobbying priorities toward river‑allocation legal needs and suggested using funds that would otherwise continue for state‑session coverage to support larger, multijurisdictional litigation and comment opportunities next year.
Next steps: Staff will provide the required contract termination notices and shift internal budgeting and external counsel planning to prioritize river‑related representation in 2026, as requested by the chair.
