By Kayla Anderson
MCIN
The Mineral County Board of Commissioners is looking to temporarily fill the board seat recently vacated by Curtis Schlepp, and at the August 7 meeting came up with a plan to do so.
Curtis Schlepp last day as a Mineral County commissioner was on July 17 when he announced that he and his wife were moving to Utah to be closer to family. Schlepp spent 31 years with Mineral County, formerly serving as a sheriff deputy and a juvenile probation officer before becoming a county commissioner.
According to the August 7th Minutes, in following NRS 244.040 and Mineral County Code 2.04.030, the commissioners have the option of selecting a specific method to fill the vacancy, consider letters of interest for the vacancy, or taking no action.
Commissioners Larry Grant and Tina Manzini wanted to fill the position, even if it’s only for three months until the next ones are officially voted in.
“I recommended that it was in the best interest of the County and the residents thereof to fill the seat. County business moves forward best with a three-commissioner board,” says MC District Attorney T. Jaren Stanton.
If there is a difference of opinion in a two-member board, no action can pass. When Cassie Hall resigned from her seat in fall of 2023, remaining commissioners Larry Grant and Curtis Schlepp enlisted the Governor’s Office to fill her seat. Mineral County resident Tina Manzini was selected and started serving as commissioner on January 9, 2024.
At the August 7 Commissioners meeting, the board decided to form a committee of county employees to help vet the candidates by meeting with them, taking notes, and sending all of that information directly to the Governor’s Office, giving them everything they need to make the decision. Since Manzini is on the November ballot along with the other two candidates looking to fill the vacant seat then this method will help eliminate a conflict of interest/avoid an ethical dilemma of her having to make a choice of someone who is running against her in November. And again, the seat would only be filled temporarily before Mineral County voters officially elect those candidates.
“At a regular meeting on August 7, the Board voted to send two names to the Governor for appointment. This is done in accordance with statute. The two names were individuals that had submitted letters of interest and were found qualified in accordance with statute. The Board also voted to have a group of County representatives interview the two applicants, have those interviews transcribed, and send the transcription to the Governor so he would have information off which to base his decision,” Stanton reiterates.
Tony Ruse and Sharon Jennings are the two people who are running for the vacant seat and will also be on November’s ballot.
The heads of Public Works, Hawthorne Utilities, the Fire Department, and the Mineral County Grant Administrator make up the committee and are hoping to send the interview transcriptions to the Governor’s Office by September 3.
