MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould said he opposes a staff recommendation to award bid and authorize up to $800,000 in spending to improve a road that would benefit a multi-billion-dollar project proposed for the Interstate 40 industrial corridor south of Kingman.
The Pegasus Holdings Group announced in June 2019 that it would have a $3-billion data center up and running by Dec. of that year. Dec. arrived and while development languished, Pegasus officials announced a companion $5-billion phase two data processing project that same month.
The county agreed to fund a road improvement project near the proposed data centers before Pegasus committed to the second phase. Public Works is now recommending award of a $782,522.48 bid to Perco Rock Company and use of up $17,477.52 in contingency funds if necessary.
The Panguitch, Utah firm would complete some 13,200 linear feet of 2-lane aggregate surface roadway extending from the current Apache Road South.
Economic Development Director Tami Ursenbach has said that other nearby industry will also benefit from the proposed improvement. Gould, however, believes county pursuit of the road improvement was aimed at an enterprise that has done nothing on site.
“That road project was moved to the head of the list because of the Pegasus Group project, which has gone nowhere,” Gould said. “There’s other transportation needs in the county that are more pressing than that road, and you’re talking about three-quarter million dollars.”
Gould said the road improvements are not a prudent use of tax dollars.
“I’m sure it will benefit the property owners right there,” Gould said. “Those lots and pieces of industrial land might sell faster but it’s not really the government’s job to pick winners and losers.”
The board meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. Monday, in the supervisor’s auditorium at the county administration building at 700 W. Beale Street in Kingman.
Dave Hawkins
These multi-billion $ companies can improve the roads on their own dime. It does not benefit the everyday citizen. Why are tax $ being spent to upgrade roads that only benefit companies.
Kingman has so many roads that are in great need of repair or replacement; Road that are utilized by Kingman citizens everyday for every aspect of life. Fix OUR roads and let the billion $ companies fix the road that benefits only them.