Stumping for the right to serve

Concerns about water, growth and taxes highlighted the District 2 Lyon County Commissioner Candidate Forum on Wednesday night.

The four candidates for the seat answered questions from the audience at Dayton High School. The forum was sponsored by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wild Horse Preservation League and Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey counties.

The main topic was the effect of growth on water resources. Several candidates chided the current commission for its lack of long-term planning to improve infrastructure associated with growth.

"We need to get off the dime and set up a plan," said candidate Charlie Lawson, of Silver Springs. "We need a comprehensive water study and use it to put a plan in place and work with the developers to get them to start building the infrastructure: the roads, schools, fire departments and possibly a sheriff's substation."

Pat Geurts, of Silver Springs, said, "With this growth, we will need new traffic lights and to improve the roads. These things all require taxes that will be saddled on the public's back. We need a plan, because some of us living from here to Fernley are getting tired of living in a construction zone."

Larry McPherson, of Stagecoach, said the idea of owning water rights may become irrelevant if there is no more water.

"More growth means the need for more water. We need controlled growth. Building is fine, and you have a right to make a profit on your properties, but it must be balanced with the needs of the county," he said.

Incumbent Chet Hillyard, of Silver Springs, said that because of the commission's leadership, Lyon County has become one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.

"I was elected 16 years ago to serve the health, safety and welfare of the people, and I will continue to do that," he said.

Candidates were also concerned with tax revenues within the county and the use of tax incentives to entice new commercial developments in the area. All of the candidates agreed that the distribution system needs changing, but disagreed on the use of tax incentives.

"What does that tell you when a multimillion-dollar corporation tells you it can't pay its taxes?" Geurts asked. "Give me a break. They don't need a tax break;, look at the books, they don't need a break."

Lawson said, "I would like to see us get more commercial development, and there are tax incentives we can offer then for a specific period of time. Then the rates return to where they should be. I would like the development in a commercial center. We don't need a strip mall up and down Highway 50."

Hillyard said that the commission's philosophy of working with local boards and developers has been beneficial to the county's success.

Geurts and Lawson will face off in the Democratic primary, while McPherson and Hillyard will meet in the Republican primary. Early voting begins Saturday, with the primary election scheduled for Aug. 15. The winners will face each other in the Nov. 7 general election.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.

Candidates

Lyon County Commissioner District II candidates are:

Democrat

• Pat Geurts

• Charles Lawson

Republican

• Chet Hillyard

• Larry McPherson

Early Voting

Lyon County

• Yerington - 8 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays July 31-Aug. 11 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 29 and Aug. 5. at the Lyon County Clerks Office, 27 South Main St.

• Smith Valley - 4-7 p.m. Aug. 2 and 9th, Smith Valley Library, 22 Day Lane.

• Dayton - 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 31-Aug. 11 at Lyon County Administration Office, 801 Overland Loop, Suite 201.

• Fernley - 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 31-Aug.11 at Fernley City Hall, 595 Silverlace Blvd.