June 16, 2015

Mr. John

Koenig Public Works Staff: Mr. David Fanning

Commissioner Schinhofen

called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.

Mr. Ray

Parks of 2080 W. Gamebird wants to know when they will have funding or set funds aside for Gamebird Road. Mr. Parks asked Tim Carlo what the last traffic count was on that road. Mr. Carlo stated 1,192. Mr. Parks stated that it’s almost 2,500 vehicles a month and the count was for 13 days. He also stated that it’s a lot of traffic to be driving on the dirt. Mr. Parks stated that he didn’t know where else to go to ask for help. He doesn’t care about the speed just the road, the dust is horrible. Mr. Parks would like to see money get set aside for this. He understands that it would be around $900,000.00 to put the road in. Commissioner Schinhofen stated that we would be discussing this topic.

Ms. Bonnie

Cristi wanted to have a comment put on record about the roads. She stated that she lives in Pahrump Valley Estates and a year ago one of her best friend, Teresa Hagen, died of a heart attack. It had been raining for several hours and she lived on Woodchips Road which is dirt road. Ms. Cristi also stated that while she was on the phone with 9-1-1 she learned that no one was able to get to her because of the mud. She also stated that she would like to have the helicopter dispatched when it has been raining so EMS can get to people. Ms. Cristi stated that she has been fighting for these roads for over 12 years. Realtors in the area are aware of the problems with the roads and children can’t get to school when it rains because the roads are so bad. Regional Transportation Commission – Minutes June 16, 2015

Mr. Keonig

stated that he had no comments at this time.

Commissioner Carbone

commented about the request from Mr. Parks for the road on W. Gamebird. He wants to make sure all the roads in the county are being looked at and which ones need to be maintained and which ones need to be repaired.

Commissioner Schinhofen

stated that he would like to get the budget approved and then at the next meeting he would like to see the costs involved to finish Gamebird and Barney and if there any funds for it and where those funds will come from.

Commissioner Schinhofen

stated that finishing it will be a better bus route and the tie through from the south end of the valley from 160 to 372.

Mr. Fanning

had a comment about the project costs. Mr. Fanning stated that when Pahrump Valley Estates originally became a subdivision the roads were not dedicated so the roads went to the property owners at the time, including Mr. Parks who has lived out there for a long time. The decision was made by the property owners’ back then to not make this an improvement area so the County has tried to help over 13-14 years to get emergency access into an area that the county does not own or maintain. Back in 2008 the county pursued a right-of-way down Gamebird to Barney and on the outside perimeters of Pahrump Valley Estates which we now have; the road lies to the south and to the far west of Pahrump Valley Estates. Mr. Fanning stated that this project does not include the Pahrump Valley Estates in any way shape or form; it’s simply to complete a by-pass per say to make a public access safety. It happens to now involve some of the residence that lives there. Mr. Fanning also stated that Land Tax is Land Tax not Gas Tax and we are sitting before this board today asking for Gas Tax monies to improve road sections. It doesn’t matter how big a piece of property you have, manage or maintain it is Gas Tax that goes into the road system. Mr. Fanning stated that he and Tim Carlo have been watching that area of road in its entirety that the county has built, to the south and to the west side, over the past 2 and half years and what has transpired is that traffic has gained speed down that road and kicked it out. Mr. Fanning stated that he has mentioned this in the past at several meetings. The road is now widened out to some 32 feet. Mr. Fanning stated that he would like to go in and remove that 32’ road and dig it down some 16 inches and put that base material back in it and build it up another 16 inches because of the actual lay of the land and the clay. He also stated that this road will not last if we do not do this form of base material underneath it. Mr. Fanning stated that this is usually in his maintenance schedule and not part of what it will cost for the road or the RTC but he will do it along the way. He also stated that if we don’t address that then the drainage in that area will not allow the road to last and will end up looking like the upper portion of Gamebird. Mr. Fanning stated that he wants to make sure the road gets done right and it still may shift or move but it will take a longer period of time and that’s something you cannot address unless you remove it to some 5 feet and then rebuild it back. Mr. Fanning wants to make sure that both sides are stated and that he can 2 Regional Transportation Commission – Minutes June 16, 2015 do that portion of dirt removal and over dig under what it is we normally do as road maintenance.

Commissioner Schinhofen

asked Mr. Fanning to bring back the costs involved with this project. Commissioner Schinhofen opened up item 1 again for General Public Comment. Ms. Bonnie Cristi took the microphone. See Item 1.

Mr. Koenig

stated that there is a correction to the minutes. The minutes should read “Commissioner Schinhofen approved the minutes” not the meeting. Correction was noted. Mr. Koenig motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Carbone seconds the motion. Motion Passed.

Commissioner Schinhofen

turned the floor over to Mr. Fanning. Mr. Fanning stated that he would like to present the new fiscal year budget and there has been an influx of $100,000.00 in the 1/4 Sales Tax this year whereas the 4 cent Gas Tax has remained the same at $838,000.00. Mr. Fanning also stated that this figure in the budget is the same figure that we have had for a series of 4-5 years. Mr. Fanning stated that we try to stretch the dollars to cover the entire county and try to work on areas throughout the valley as well as the county. Mr. Fanning read the 15/16 purposed budget for fund 10208 Quarter Cent. Mr. Fanning stated that this is the basic standard annual programs for preventative maintenance on our paved streets and our chip sealed roads through the entire county. Mr. Fanning moved on to discuss Intersection Safety Improvements that happen to be RPM’s, paint and red flashing lights throughout the entire county. The Paving and chipseal preparation has been left on there again in case the Board of County Commissioners sees a need to use this in 15/16. If not then we can actually change that within an agenda item to use those funds somewhere else. Mr. Fanning stated that we do have a project that we plan on doing this year in Round Mountain which is Pablo Canyon Road.

Commissioner Carbone

asked if we could use some of this chipseal budget as maintenance for other roads to give them longevity. Mr. Fanning stated, yes. Mr. Fanning also stated that when we get closer and the RTC has the list of roads for the PCI’s he would like to take a look at the high ADT’s (Average Daily Traffic). This may take up to two years to complete for the entire county. He also stated that some of the chipseal roads are now being used as major artillery roads rather than a residential street.

Commissioner Carbone

asked how many traffic signals we maintained. Mr. Fanning stated 3 and they are all here in Pahrump. 3 Regional Transportation Commission – Minutes June 16, 2015

Mr. Fanning

moved on to the 2nd page of 10208- General Road Maintenance for the dirt, gravel, grade and drain culvert sections for the county up North has averaged about $600-900,000.00 a year. We can continue maintaining these roads with the costs that we see now but if they increase then we will have to drop some of these roads. The roads will then have to be brought back in front of the RTC to determine where we want to go with them, another reason to look for a Gas Tax increase. Mr. Fanning stated that we need to have money coming in for road maintenance. If the influx of diesel fuel, the cost of rubber tire and oil keep climbing then we will have to do something drastic by cutting off some maintained roads. Commissioner Carbone asked about the rubber tires. Mr. Fanning stated that he thinks it will be about a 3- 5% increase. Mr. Fanning stated that we normally buy out tires when they are low and stockpile them.

Mr. Fanning

moved on to 10207-4 cent. Mr. Fanning stated that there are two wear and tear items here in Pahrump. We have 97 streetlights that VEA has put up for the county and the traffic maintenance signal which is on an annual maintenance cycle that you have to draw data on all three intersections. You also have to heat test the controllers inside and go through strenuous testing on quite a few things.

Commissioner Carbone

asked about stress testing on the poles. Mr. Fanning stated that we do not do that on the poles, each test is done in the controllers on each pole. Those boxes get to be 160-180 degrees so that is why we run a heat stress test. The boxes on the poles will need to be tested above what we have budgeted. These stress tests need to be done on a 5-10 year cycle. Commissioner Carbone asked where we are with the testing. Mr. Fanning stated that we are working on that cycle. He would like to do one or all three. He has not found anyone to do them yet but he is looking and shopping.

Mr. Fanning

moved on to Major Striping/Street Patching. Mr. Fanning stated that this is something we do on an annual basis but some of these roads have seen 50-60 years with minimal maintenance. Mr. Fanning would like to get them to the next cycle where we can put some money on it or do a Superpave overlay. Mr. Fanning stated that we are striping throughout the entire county and we are seeing paint prices increase, we do piggyback on the State Contracts when we can. We usually get our product from Texas and with the floods they have had it affects us. NDOT has been working with us when we do go out to bid.

Mr. Koenig

motioned to approve the 2015/2016 RTC Budget as presented.

Commissioner Carbone

seconds. Passed 3-0

Commissioner Schinhofen

stated that in the middle of July the BOCC should know about the Gas Tax and that way we can keep up with the maintenance.

Commissioner Carbone

would like to see about getting a Diesel Tax. 4 Regional Transportation Commission – Minutes June 16, 2015

Mr. Koenig

stated that he had been attending the meetings for this and he is uncomfortable mainly because it is not a Nye County meeting. Commissioner Schinhofen stated that we only agreed to back them to apply for a grant. Mr. Koenig stated that they sent the letter for the busses and they will get those at some point.

Mr. Koenig

is working with Cameron McRae for a place to put them once they get here. Mr. Koenig would like to know if we should appoint a liaison or if he should continue on. Commissioner Carbone stated that we are not the responsible party for them, they are responsible for themselves. Commissioner Schinhofen stated that all this board and the BoCC agreed to do was to back them in their grants but they needed to come back and show us how it would not cost us any money.

Commissioner Carbone

motioned to set the date for the next RTC meeting on July 21, 2015 at 8:30 a.m.

Mr. Koenig

second. Motion approved.