13 Apr 2015
Locals Marc and Jane Katz now own most of Ewing Mesa, bought from Oakridge Energy, Inc.
A man living in Durango, Marc Katz, and his wife, Jane Katz, closed on 54 parcels of land on Ewing Mesa adjacent to Horse Gulch for $14 million dollars last Friday, April 10th.
The large 1,850-acre swath of land was formerly owned by Oakridge Energy, Inc, a Utah Corporation with a legal address in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Marc Katz plays a Bill Monroe tune on the mandolin, as seen in this screen capture from a YouTube video.
Both Marc and Jane are listed on the warranty deed that documents their purchase of Lots 1 through 54, as well as the water rights for those parcels, as listed in a Bargain and Sale Deed that were both dated 4/10/15.
Marc Katz is a co-founder of Mercury Payment Systems.
Marc did not return this blogger’s phone message left at his household several weeks ago, but several documents recorded with the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder told part of the story.
As part of the closing, one record shows an agreement made by Oakridge Energy Inc, to terminate the Ground Lease and the Sand and Gravel Agreement with C & J Gravel Products, Inc, at which point Oakridge will give C & J $30,000 dollars.
As of this writing on April 12, 2015, none of the ownership data for the 54 parcels that the Katz’s had purchased was showing up on La Plata County GIS.
Written statement from Marc Katz on Ewing Mesa purchase.

Lot 24, one of the parcels formerly owned by Oakridge Energy, Inc, is now owned by Marc and Jane Katz of Durango.