Independent investigative news

Welcome to Nye's Lies

We report on Nye County: the meetings, the money, the water, and what your county government does with all of it.

Everything under Nye County government and resources in the menu is public record, organized so you can actually use it: every meeting and agenda, every bill before the county, water rights, campaign money, what every county employee is paid, and where the budget goes. Dig around. It is all yours.

Alerts only when we publish. Unsubscribe any time.

Public meetings / Board of County Commissioners

May 22, 2018

64 turns, 64 with a named speaker, under 9 agenda items. The words and the names are the county clerk's.

Attendance

Commissioner Cox

was not present at this time. 1, Pledge of Allegiance

2. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT (Three-minute time limit per person.) Action will

Commissioner Wichman

assumed the Chair of the Liquor and Licensing Board. LIQUOR

5. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to issue a Permanent Retail

Commissioner Cox

was present. Detective Christopher Sehnert confirmed all of the paperwork was in order.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve with the warning that this was a privilege license and the owner needed to meet Nye County Code and adhere to it; seconded by Commissioner Koenig; 5 yeas.

6. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to issue a Temporary Retail

Commissioner Schinhofen

believed there were continuous issues with this item. He took this time to say when the Board made a motion to approve with conditions they needed to be met before the license was given. On the Painted Lady, according to the back-up and Detective Christopher Sehnert they had numerous issues and had not responded to him.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to deny; seconded by Commissioner Koenig.

Commissioner Koenig

if the check they used to pay the fee was the one that bounced. Detective Christopher Sehnert said no. That one was written on April 4, 2018, and bounced on April 27, 2018, but the bar was still operating during that time.

Commissioner Cox

asked if the bar was operating without a liquor license or a gaming license. Detective Sehnert explained they had the previous license, but the check they wrote for that license bounced. He said they were currently waiting on a copy of the lease and some updates from fire, but they had no statements, tax returns or other documentation relating to that.

Commissioner Cox

said this had been before the Board twice now and asked if they gave an indication of when they might have it all complete. May 22, 2018 6. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to issue a Temporary Retail Liquor License to Yield Management Systems, dba The Painted Lady Saloon Inc, located at 1330 E. 5th #B, Pahrump, NV 89048. Daniel Wernecke is the Applicant- Cont'd. Detective Sehnert said he was still waiting for their response.

Commissioner Wichman

thought that until this was completed and Detective Sehnert was Satisfied the application was imminent it was not necessary to bring it back every two weeks.

Commissioner Koenig

assumed the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF UNINCORPORATED TOWN OF PAHRUMP

8. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to adopt, amend and adopt,

Commissioner Schinhofen

explained these were the current fees in place.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to adopt what was currently in place and re- address it in a year, seconded by Commissioner Borasky; 5 yeas.

9. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to adopt, amend and adopt,

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. SITTING AS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COUNTY MANAGER

14. For Possible Action — Discussion and deliberation to ratify the selection of

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to ratify the selection of Public Works Director Tim Dahl; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. May 22, 2018

15. For Possible Action — Presentation of the revenue and expenditures relating

Commissioner Wichman

said she asked for this study. She noted there were currently three pending lawsuits and asked regardless of whether they were frivolous or not if the defense of those would cost a deductible of $50,000.00 each. Tim Sutton said that was correct. He clarified there were actually two active lawsuits as far as he knew, but the $50,000.00 deductibles had not been reached yet as the lawsuits were in the beginning stages.

Commissioner Wichman

asked if the staff time included the Sheriff's Office and Code Compliance time. Samantha Tackett said it included Code Compliance, but not the Sheriff's Office.

Commissioner Schinhofen

stated the brothel license fees for 2017 were $85,000.00. The cheapest license Dennis Hof paid for in Lyon County was $70,000.00 and it was about $360,000.00 for all of them. He said he had made a motion in the past to try to go to $36,000.00, which would be half of Mr. Hof's cheapest license. Commissioner Schinhofen thought the County was being short-changed on the brothel fees.

Commissioner Wichman

explained this was on the agenda at her request to see if the County was spending so much money on the defense of the lawsuits that the brothels were no longer supporting themselves and the taxpayers were, and that was not the case.

Commissioner Borasky

told Tim Sutton he wanted to sit down with him and analyze this as to him the numbers were very low and he did not think everything and every person was hit.

Commissioner Cox

said she was looking at 2016 when approximately $2,300.00 brought in $200,000.00 so she thought there was quite a bit of profit. SITTING AS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE PAHRUMP POOL DISTRICT 13. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for the Pahrump Pool District; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for the Pahrump Pool District for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened and closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to adopt; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. May 22, 2018 SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF UNINCORPORATED TOWNS OF BEATTY, BELMONT, GABBS, MANHATTAN, AND RAILROAD VALLEY MANHATTAN 12. 10:00 ~ For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for the Town budget for the Town of Manhattan; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for the Town of Manhattan for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened and closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. GABBS 11. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for the Town of Gabbs: and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for the Town of Gabbs for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened and closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. BEATTY 10. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for the Town of Beatty; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for the Town of Beatty for Fiscal Year 2018- 2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened and closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve; seconded by Commissioner Wichman; 5 yeas. May 22, 2018 SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF UNINCORPORATED TOWN OF PAHRUMP 7. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for the Town of Pahrump; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for the Town of Pahrump for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened and closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve; seconded by Commissioner Cox; 5 yeas. SITTING AS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 3. 10:00 — For Possible Action - Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for Nye County; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for Nye County for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Commissioner Koenig

opened the public hearing. Debra Strickland wondered why the figures for the Town of Pahrump for prior year ending and estimated current year ending had escalated so much.

Commissioner Koenig

advised Ms. Strickland that Pahrump was already done and the Comptroller would discuss it with her.

Commissioner Koenig

closed the public hearing.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to adopt.

Commissioner Schinhofen

suggested leaving the DARE Officer and taking one of the resource officers out to get closer to the $1 million. Savannah Rucker displayed the spreadsheet presented at the budget workshop. Removing one school resource officer resulted in exceeding the $1 million budget by $138,000.00.

Commissioner Cox

said she had a problem with the County doing school resource officers at all as she believed the Schoo! District had more money than the County and they should be funding their own. She suggested removing one of the Animal Contro! Officers also.

Commissioner Wichman

agreed with Commissioner Cox. May 22, 2018 3. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for Nye County: and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for Nye County for Fiscal Year 2018-2019- Cont'd.

Mrs. Rucker

advised the original approval was two school resource officers, which she dropped to one, and one Animal Control Officer.

Commissioner Cox

said she wanted to take all of the resource officers out and leave one Animal Control! Officer.

Commissioner Schinhofen

said he agreed with removing the school resource officers, but as far as the Animal Control Officer he did not feel there were enough of them as there were still people hoarding animals and costing the County.

Commissioner Koenig

said to make the school resource officers zero and the Animal Control Officer one. Detective Chris Sehnert suggested the Board review the calls for service for Animal Control based on manpower and then make that decision. He could not speak for the northern part of the County, but he believed at least one more Animal Control Officer was needed for Pahrump.

Commissioner Schinhofen

supported cutting the school resource officers and asked staff to bring something back modeled on a memorandum of understanding Elko County had with their schoo! district.

Mrs. Rucker

advised that change resulted in $1,066,379.00 in increased expenditures from the tentative budget. She commented this was a balanced budget because of the ending fund balance and revenues in excess of expenditures.

Commissioner Schinhofen

pointed out the initial budget was $1 million and he was comfortable with $1,066,379.00.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to approve. When Commissioner Cox asked her if she was comfortable with that, Mrs. Rucker said based on the information she had received recently she would like to scale back, but it was up to the Board. The revenue was conservative for property tax though.

Commissioner Wichman

seconded the motion to approve. The Board continued discussing areas where cuts could be made.

Commissioner Schinhofen

amended his motion to approve cutting the two school resource officers, leaving one additional Animal Control Officer, all additions in Planning May 22, 2018 3. 10:00 — For Possible Action — Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 tentative budget for Nye County; and discussion and deliberation to adopt, or amend and adopt the Final Budget for Nye County for Fiscal Year 2018-2019- Cont'd. except the counter tech which would come back after the first quarter, and remove the office assistant in the District Attorney's Office. Angela Bello asked if the Board would consider a part-time office assistant as it was difficult for the Tonopah District Attorney's Office to handle the workload and the front office.

Commissioner Schinhofen

amended his motion to put back in the office assistant for the District Attorney's Office.

Mrs. Rucker

advised the result of those changes was $998,000.00.

Commissioner Schinhofen

made a motion to adopt that; seconded by Commissioner Wichman.

Commissioner Borasky

had concerns with the economy and felt the Board should use caution.

Commissioner Koenig

opened the public hearing.

Commissioner Wichman

advised the owners of the property were present in Tonopah.

Commissioner Koenig

closed the public hearing. Marla Zlotek explained once the hearing was opened the Clerk would first state for the record compliance with NRS 244.360 as to the publication and notice requirements. After that was accomplished the complainant could offer evidence which the Board could then accept. The Clerk confirmed that publication was done in the Tonopah Times Bonanza on May 10 and 17, 2018. May 22, 2018 4. 10:45 — For Possible Action - Public Hearing, discussion and deliberation pursuant to NRS 244.360 on a compiaint alleging the existence of a nuisance located at 17 Mahogany Boulevard, Round Mountain, Nevada-Cont'd. Round Mountain Town Manager Pearl Olmedo said a complaint was received from residents in the Hadley subdivision so the town moved forward with the process of submitting a nuisance complaint and presented a letter and photographs of the lot. People were concerned it was a safety hazard to the children in the neighborhood as during a storm debris was flying in the area and caused minor damage to some of the local properties. Ms. Olmedo said she contacted the property owner to make her aware of what was going on and suggested she contact Code Compliance. Mary Lopez, the owner of the property, said she would like to clean up the property soon and maybe sell it.

Commissioner Wichman

asked her how tong she thought it would take to clean it up.

Mrs. Lopez

said maybe 30 days, but she would like to ask for a little more time as she was in between jobs in Elko and needed to find some friends or get a hold of someone that would move the trailer.

Commissioner Koenig

asked if the Board found a nuisance existed, but the property owner was willing to abate the nuisance, if they could be given time to do that or if that triggered something drastic.

Ms. Zlotek

said if the Board found a nuisance and clearly defined the nuisance conditions the Board could give time to allow the person to abate it and then have periodic follow-ups. She recommended assigning a staff member to monitor that and have it brought back for status checks.

Commissioner Wichman

made a motion to declare the property was a nuisance that was injurious to the health of the public and/or an obstruction to the free use of other people's property near and around it interfering with their comfortable enjoyment of their own property and they had 60 days to abate the nuisance; seconded by Commissioner Schinhofen.

Ms. Oimedo

asked what would happen if the property was not abated after those 60 days.

Commissioner Wichman

explained if the nuisance was not abated within that time then the County would hire a contractor or send staff out to clean it up, the cost of which would be placed as a lien against the property. When the property was sold the County would be made whole before any revenue from the sale was realized by the owner.

Commissioner Wichman

made a motion to adopt the resolution finding there was a nuisance that existed and refer to the motion made earlier for the changes that needed to take place to that resolution; seconded by Commissioner Schinhofen; 5 yeas.

17. ADJOURN

Commissioner Koenig

adjourned the meeting. APPROVED this art ___ day ATTEST: of Sul, , 2018. Vy; Dh ee Li, (Se lé. hale Lince Be Chair / VA Nye Cotinty Clerk / Deputy