Mineral County Board of County Commissioner meeting highlights from Oct. 2

Safety Message

Patrick Hughes, emergency management, gave a safety message about staying healthy and safe for the winter.

Accounts Payable

Deputy auditor-recorder Teresa McNally and Recorder-Auditor Cindy Nixon presented the commissioners with accounts payable vouchers, credit card approval form requests, capital outlay purchase orders and auditor’s cash report by fund. Sheri Samson asked about funds for emergency management at Walker Lake. She was told that with the new system, no funds showed the correct amount until all funds are checked.

Correspondence

Email from Kelly Penrose for a 300 word bio for the Nevada Day guide. Commissioner Garth Price said this is was directed by Governor Steve Sisolak. Tammy Hamrey stated that information can be found on the website.

Liquor License

The following liquor licenses were approved: David Dummar, special liquor license and John Stroud/VFW, special liquor license. Price abstained from the Dummar liquor license discussion.

EMD Grant

Sheriff Randy Adams asked for acceptance of the EMD grant. The grant is for $28,074 with a match of $9,358. It is the emergency medical dispatcher software. The item was awarded for the sheriff to go after the grant if he can find funds in which to match.

OCJA Grant

This grant is for a new radio system that is compatible with what the state is going with. Discussion of what public works will be using if the sheriff’s office moves away from the old system. Undersheriff Bill Ferguson explained that each radio will cost $400 if the departments would like to be on the sheriff system. The monies will be taken out of PILT and paid back to PILT when reimbursed.

Insurance

Brenda Jones, chief deputy clerk-treasurer and Tammy Hamrey, chief deputy recorder-auditor asked for renewal with Kansas City Life and VSP for insurance effective Jan. 1, 2020. Wal-Mart is now one of VSP’s providers. The commissioners approved.

Lapel Pins

Jones asked the commissioners to purchase lapel pins for Mineral County. Jones explained during conference there was a pin exchange and Mineral County didn’t have any to exchange. The funds will come out of general miscellaneous and 300 pins will be purchased for $595.

Walker Lake Cliff Progam

Price asked for the commissioners to send a letter of support for the Walker Basin Conservancy project at the cliffs. The commissioners sent a letter of support.

Mason Valley Conservation District

Clerk Chris Nepper asked for consideration and possible action relative to Mason Valley Conservation District requesting funds from Mineral County in the amount of $7,500. Ed Ryan, district manager of the conservation district explained that the district has been doing noxious weed inventory. He explained that his organization has received money from Lyon County and is now here to see if they could get some funding from Mineral County for conservation projects. The commissioners approved $5,000 to the conservation district with discussion during the next budget hearing for more funding. Samson asked with Northern Nevada Development Authority could give the extra $2,500 as it is an improvement for the county.

Use of Convention Center

Mike McNeill from the Mineral County Convention and Tourism Authority asked for consideration and possible action to the need of guidance from the board of county commissioners regarding the requests for free use of the convention center/marque. He would like a written policy to avoid ambiguity. McNeill said he is there to set the record straight. He read a letter into record. This was tabled and will be on a future agenda.

Convention Center Town Hall Meeting

McNeill agendized another item worded as such, “for consideration and possible action relative to a commissioner asking for the Mineral County Coalition to use the Convention Center/Marquee for free since the Coalition asked to use the Convention Center for free for a “Town Meeting” on October 29, 2019 and because it was discussed by the Commissioners at a public meeting. The Director needs an actual Commissioner vote and written directive on this use to know how to properly write it up and put into effect.” The building will be used by the Coalition for the harm reduction summit.

Nuisance Complaint

Price agendized the nuisance complaint at 181 Summit View and hire Johnson Enterprises to abate nuisances in the amount of $3,500. George Dean, Hawthorne Utilities, explained that the rolloff will be removed from the property at no charge. The commissioners approved it for $3,500 with the monies to be taken from the general fund and the charges added to the property taxes.

Building Inspector

Commissioner Chris Hegg made an agenda item to fill the building inspector/ official position. Discussion and possible action may include reorganization or reassignment of the building office, creating or amending job descriptions, fulfilling office duties by contracting for inspection services, and/or advertising for job vacancies. Price explained that Farr West has been coming to town to do inspections as needed. Hegg explained that local contractors have expressed concern of having someone local so that contractors can get jobs done on time. Hegg thanked Hughes for his help in the building department. Mark Nixon stated that the original position also dealt with code enforcement and helping with information with the planning commission. Discussion of commercial inspections. The item will be run in the paper and back on a future agenda.

Deputy District Attorney

Commissioner Hoferer took the item for setting the salary and qualifications of a deputy district attorney as agreed upon in 2019/2020 budget hearing on March 25, 2019.

Public Comment

Richard Bryant pointed out that the way the agenda is written the public comment will be after 5:30 p.m. at night. There was discussion but the tape was turned off during the item.

Regional Transportation Commission

The Mineral County Regional Transportation Commission met. The airport fuel report – revenue to RTC for September is $3,096 with revenue to airport for September being $650. Fund balance is $205,800. The road department is in Bodie Canyon doing repairs. He showed photos to the commissioners. Eric Hamrey explained that they are redirecting the water and trying to put the road back to its original position, if possible. Richard Bryant thanked the road department for their work on Mineral County’s roads. He explained that going to the new radio system hinders his department. There will be surveying done around the school area for sidewalks. Discussion of grants Hamrey will be putting in for. He informed the commissioner about the parking on A Street.

Ordinance 254 Bill 270

The commissioners met to adopt Ordinance 254A, Bill 270, an ordinance establishing standards for conversion of manufactured homes to real property. Changes in the ordinance were discussed. Stephanie Smith asked if Mineral County will go to state standards. The commissioners passed this item.

Public Comment

Samson wanted to address to the board and be on record that malicious rumors are being spread about the Mineral County Motorhead’s car club. She also asked about a summit with NNDA which was held in Mineral County the day before the commissioner meeting. Richard Bryant discussed there were three closed sessions released to the public with many violations of the open meeting law and many situations in which the meeting was closed for a specific item and there was discussion outside of the agendized subject. He questioned if the other meetings that the public were not privy to – have violations.

Walker Lake Garbage

The first reading by title only of an ordinance to allow the Walker Lake GID to address garbage service in the Town of Walker Lake. Rowe explained that this is to make sure that Walker Lake township gets garbage service. The title was read into record. The item will be on a future agenda.

Special Use Application

Mark Nixon, chairman of the Mineral County Planning Commission presented the commissioners with a special use application made by Sierra Nevada Power dba NV Energy for Parcel APN: 005- 110-05 for approval. A substation will be made on this property.

Public Comment

Hoferer explained that she was upset that she did not know about the NNDA summit until it was over. She stated that they were supposed to come in front of the county commissioner board. She notified those that former commissioner Ed Fowler had passed away. Hegg explained that NNDA had a meeting here with stakeholders and will possibly release a press release.