Ridgecrest council approves hiring Ron Strand to support groundwater mediation

Ridgecrest's City Council on Feb. 4 approved a consulting-services agreement to bring retired official Ron Strand back into the city's legal team to assist with upcoming groundwater-adjudication mediation.

Attorney Martin told the council the city needs Strand's institutional memory and chronology of the GSA and Mohave litigation to prepare fully for mediation, and that the consultant would work with the city manager and legal team. "We would be cutting our right arm off if Ron wasn't available and present to work with the legal team during the mediation and in preparation for mediation," Martin said.

City Manager Travis Reid said he had not been part of the prior litigation and welcomed Strand's historical knowledge. "I don't know what I don't know," Reid said, adding that the consulting line item is already in the budget and the item was brought forward "so all the public understands and knows what this is for."

Council debate was robust. One councilmember voiced skepticism about rehiring a retired official and said a city hydrologist might be the better on-table resource, asking whether the city was creating an unnecessary expense. Public commenter Mike Hill also questioned whether the city 'would be paying Strand high hourly fees and asked who would actually sit at the mediation table for the city.

After public comment the council voted by roll call: Mayor Endicott Aye, Councilmember Blades Aye, Councilmember Heyman Aye, Councilmember Gorman No; the motion carried 3'1 with one absent. The council also noted that any mediation proposals would be returned to the council for consideration and that closed session would follow the item.

The vote authorizes staff to finalize the consulting agreement and to include Strand in closed-session preparation for mediation. The mayor reported after closed session that the council discussed water-rights litigation and that he will be the city's representative in the upcoming mediation.

What happens next: staff will finalize contract details and include Strand in preparation and closed-session briefings; any proposed mediator's resolution affecting the city would be brought back to council for direction or formal action.