The SCLA, Southwest Coshocton Landowners Association, group meeting was held last night at Tri-Valley High School. It started at 7PM with Jere Butcher reviewing who and what the SCLA group is and where SCLA is headed. About 350+ interested landowners were present to listen to Jere Butcher and then watch two more presentations: one by the Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell law firm and another by Les Morrison a geologist. There were so many questions by the interested members that the meeting lasted until 9:45PM !

 SCLA still has OPEN Registration for new members. More attendees signed-up and became SCLA members last night. SCLA is a non-profit landowners group with a non-binding agreement with its members. You are free to leave the group at any time. The SCLA board does not get paid. The SCLA board volunteers their time and efforts to make SCLA successful. All SCLA board members own land in the area just like every other SCLA member.

 Four attorneys from the Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell law firm gave the first presentation.  HHM is one of leading Law Firms that consult with and/or operate landowner groups in North East Ohio. They have been legal council for twelve Ohio Landowner Groups, so far. They have been everything from the group organizer to just legal advisors and everything in between. The HHM law firm gave a very informative presentation regarding their vast knowledge and superb skills regarding group formation, crafting landowner friendly lease terms, lease negotiations and lease signing/closing procedures. They also discussed some unique pit-falls with landowners Held-By-Production, Existing Verticals Wells, Free-gas, Ancient Leases, 100 Year Title searches, etc. HHM then revieewed various issues with deeds, mortgages and titles that may prevent a landowner from signing a lease for a new Horizontal Well and how the landowner may be able to rectify many of those issues.

  The SCLA board and its members are actively interviewing various Law Firms to decide which firm is a best fit to represent the SCLA Members during Lease negotiations. The HHM Law Firm impressed the SCLA members and will definitely be considered when it is time to VOTE!

 The second presentation was from geologist Les Morrison. Les gave a great presentation about the history of oil and gas drilling in the United States and Canada. He talked about geological formations and how they trap or contain oil and gas. Les discussed the various ways that oil and gas has been and currently is extracted from the earth.

 The next SCLA, Southwest Coshocton Landowners Association, meeting will be March 1st.