Residents have taken steps to construct an FM radio station that once belonged to the now bankrupt Western Edge Media, according to Federal Communications Commission information.
On Monday, an application was filed with the FCC requesting a switch of the construction permit from Western Edge Media to Totally Amped, LLC, for an unbuilt radio station with the call number KDXN, frequency 105.7. Totally Amped is comprised of members from Dickinson, according to a public notice.
The station would be located near South Heart, according to FCC information.
Totally Amped purchased the station earlier this year for about $40,000, according to a purchase agreement dated Feb. 19. About $36,000 was paid toward the station on March 15, according to the agreement.
In a July Dickinson Press article, it was stated 18 area businesses purchased prepaid advertising with Western Edge, yet services were never rendered.
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Dickinson Attorney Mike Maus, who said in a July Dickinson Press article he is representing some minority investors who invested funds in Western Edge Media, said Wednesday he doesn't think it's likely any of the investors will see money from the sale.
"None of the minority shareholders have been paid back anything," Maus said.
Michael Wagner, an attorney with Wagner Law Firm in Bismarck, Western Edge's court-appointed trustee, has been selling off the company's assets in an effort to pay creditors.
"We're still pursuing some assets to see if they have any value or not," Wagner said, adding he was unsure of the total amount of Western Edge assets that have been liquidated.
Western Edge listed assets of about $250,000 and liabilities of about $182,000, Wagner said.
The station has never been operational, Wagner added.
Brian Madden, a member of Lerman Senter Law Firm in Washington, D.C., who is listed on the application as the contact representative for both parties, said a construction permit was granted almost three years ago.
The construction permit expires in late June, which means the company will likely complete construction by then, Madden said. He estimates it may take the FCC about a month to approve the application.
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Law requires the commission can process but cannot grant an application until 30 days have passed since the commission accepted the filing of the application, Madden said.
Dickinson resident Brian Rummel, a member of Totally Amped, declined comment until the station is "up and running." All co-owners of the company: Charles Rummel, Perry Boespflug and Gregg Kovacs, could not be reached Wednesday.
According to the application on the FCC Web site, the permit was initially granted to Steven Bartholomew in January 2007. In July 2008, the commission OK'd a permit change from Bartholomew to Western Edge Media. In August, Western Edge filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy.
Items included in the purchase include a permit, an FM transmitter and various office equipment.
