Lyon commission candidates vow to rebuild Silver City schoolhouse

Both candidates for Lyon County Commissioner District II say they would be willing to spend county funds to replace the Silver City Schoolhouse should the county's insurance carrier refuse to cover the loss.

Republican Larry McPherson and Democrat Charles Lawson said they saw replacing the building as the county's responsibility.

"Lyon County has an end budget of about $8.5 million this fiscal year," Lawson said. "If push comes to shove, yes, I will commit" to rebuilding the schoolhouse.

"They should get started on it," he added. "You guys have been waiting long enough."

The schoolhouse community center burned on July 7, 2004, and has yet to be replaced. The work has become bogged down in red tape and wrangling among the county and two insurance providers.

McPherson and Lawson, along with candidates for a variety of offices, spoke at a candidate's night event at the Silver City Firehouse on Monday. They talked on many subjects, but the issue of the schoolhouse kept coming up, with residents encouraging the commissioner candidates to take a stand on the schoolhouse.

"Silver City was served, in the agricultural sense, over two years ago," said resident Larry Steinberg. "None of those (current commissioners) have done a thing except get on a soapbox."

The two candidates also agreed on improving road maintenance in the county and Lawson said he agreed with abandoning some county roads that had few homes so the more populated streets could be repaired.

"Driving up here in Silver City, it was an experience," Lawson said. "Have you seen any maintenance in the past year?"

Resident Bob Elston said it had been at least two years since any work was done on Silver City roads, and added that the dust from substandard base was making its way into his house and causing health problems.

Both commission candidates also vowed to pay attention to the recommendations by the county's advisory boards.

State Assemblyman Tom Grady told the audience that a settlement with the insurance companies was expected by the end of this week or the beginning of next.

"I know you've heard that before," he said to laughter. "But I think this time we'll have an answer."

Sheriff candidates Charlie Duke and Allen Veil offered different views of Lyon County law enforcement.

Duke, a former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant, criticized the county for not being "proactive," and for what he said has been a 20 percent increase in crime, the lack of a K-9 unit and inadequate drug enforcement programs.

"I believe in community-based policing; there is no program for community-based policing," he said. "I want a K-9 unit; there is no K-9 program. I will have a sexual- predator program; there are 155 sexual predators in Lyon County and no real sexual-predator program."

Veil, a third-generation Lyon County resident, said his department was proactive, but added that with 42 percent growth, the second fastest growing county in the nation, the department's staff hasn't increased enough. He pledged to be aggressive to increase staff as well as "hold my people accountable and hold myself accountable."

"I believe we've done a good job," he said, citing a narcotics unit he created in 2000 to deal with drug issues.

Drugs were also on the minds of district attorney candidates Bob Auer and Steve Rye, who also attended the meeting.

Auer said what the county really needed to battle the meth problem was increased revenue for treatment.

"The sheriff is good at rounding these guys up," he said. "But without treatment, they're going to be back taking your stuff and running into you with their cars."

Rye said he planned to increase witness and victims services and be fiscally conservative.

Also speaking at the meeting were Grady and his opponent for the 38th Assembly district, Cathylee James, judicial candidates Judge Wayne Pederson and Leon Aberasturi, school board candidate Charles Shirley, state Sen. Mark Amodei, Congressional candidates Dean Heller and independent Daniel Rosen and Board of Regents candidate David Fulstone.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.