Is there anyway to locate the masternodes in "my neck of the woods" would love to be able to contact that person as a local expert...
You can only see an ip-number, but that can't tell you whoever is operating that masternode. Also, as masternodes typically run on a rented VPS, they can be moved around all over the world.
Maybe try to tell what problem you have and someone can aid you in your troubleshooting. If you like I might be able to help you remotely, but feel free to ask around.