Quotes from the Lyon County commission meeting

"We owe the residents of Lyon County an apology for even dragging this out." - Leroy Goodman, Lyon County Commissioner

"In the world of sports, when a team has a losing record, it's the manager that gets cut. I don't think we have a losing record. If you terminate her without cause, it would make us a losing team." - Nick Malarchik, Lyon County building director.

"In my years I have not worked with a more competent and dedicated county manager. It has been and I hope it will continue to me by privilege to work with and for Donna."- Rob Loveberg, Lyon County planning director

"In the last two years the county has made significant progress in overall labor relations. Donna has recruited and retained better-qualified candidates. She has been involved in organizational changes that are difficult but necessary for a growing county." - Steve Englert, Lyon County Human Resources Director.

"If you look in the dictionary under leadership, ... Donna Kristaponis' picture is there. She convinced law enforcement to tear down walls and give up our fiefdoms and work together. She is one of the fairest, most objective people we've ever had in her position." - Jeff Page, emergency management director.

"She is someone with whom I wish to continue to work to make all of our counties good places to live, work, and play." - Pat Whitten, Storey County Director of Administration and Budget.

"I'm new to the county, and my experience with county government has been marvelous. That's in part due to her management skills." - James Tullis, Dayton resident

"Leadership is not always popular and with organizational change there is often strife. Are you considering terminating her because you can, or because it's in the best interest of the employees and Lyon County?" - Jim Lemke, North Lyon County Fire Chief

"I've come to a lot of these meetings, and you've do a lot of good for Lyon County. Sometimes you do something dumb. This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen you do." - Wayne Hubbell, Stagecoach resident.

"I feel like Vito Correleone in the Godfather, 'How did this get this far?' You can fire her at will, but think about what you're doing. If you do fire her, who will want to come to Lyon County?" - Chuck Davies, Planning Commissioner

I asked at the last meeting to have charges, allegations or whatever the problems are in writing. I didn't get anything. - Leroy Goodman, Lyon County Commissioner

I don't have county employees at my door anymore. I don't have complaints about animal services. If we fire her now, it would be a mistake. I heard people in Silver Springs at the barbershop say, 'Why should we come here just to be ignored.' If you fire her without cause it will look and smell fishy. - Tom Blomquist, Lyon County Spay and Neuter Project.

This action will certainly diminish the county planning department's functional effectiveness. The planning function won't end, but there is much more to overall planning. Having a county manager as effective, as proactive, as articulate, as able to deal with citizens and boards, the loss of that expertise would be detrimental. - Rob Loveberg, Planning Director

She has been a progressive leader to mold the county to be a place people want to live in. It would be a shame to drop the leadership and progress she's brought. - Gary Fried, Road Dept.

"Donna has integrity and has assumed a position of leadership and is willing to do the extra work it takes to bring people together." -Brad Goetsch, Churchill County manager.

"I've seen elected officials, boards of commissioners, department heads change. What I've seen in the last two years is progress. The efforts of Donna Kristaponis has been phenomenal. We are working as a team for the first time." - Sheriff Sid Smith.

"Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing. Donna Kristaponis brought higher standards to the county and expected us to meet those standards, in order for us to survive all the changes rapid growth brings. Do the right thing now, keep Lyon County healthy and progressive." - Edrie LaVoie, Lyon County Human Service Director

"We've never completed contract negotiations before the contract expired before. This year we did two months early. We had a contract that was good for the county and acceptable to the employees. I strongly urge the county to retain Donna Kristaponis." - Rob Hall, Lyon County Sheriff's Employees Association.

She got four fire districts to work together with common goals. She has provided direction and collaboration among districts and county departments. Please abandon this or find another solution. - John Gillenwater, Central Lyon County Fire Chief.

She has been the best county manager I've worked for in 30 years, and whom I have tremendous respect for. Utilities were out of compliance, McDonald's employees made higher starting wages than our employees. We had big employee problems. Through her leadership she has allowed me and my department to improve. Now I am very proud of my staff, of the master plan that Donna helped lead us through, and she helped us work with developers, boards and other organizations. We've really pulled this together with Utilities. We're on the right track because of what we have done as a county. The Roundtable meetings work well, we work well with NDEP and the state and working closer with the GIDs in the county. No matter what happens here today, just look at where we've come the last two years and think of where we could be in the future .- Mike Workman - Lyon County Utilities Director.

In Mound House, where I have been on the advisory council for most of the 16 years I have lived there, we've seen dramatic and marked improvement in county services. We've gone through the water crisis. Look at what Mike and his crew have done and what she has done with planning. She gets strong endorsements from us. - Gordon Hutting - Mound House Advisory Council Chairman.

I ask that the muddiness and name-calling and nitpicking be overlooked and look at what is going on in the county and what has gone on before, before making any hasty decisions. - Mabel Masterman, Dayton Regional Advisory Council member.

She has been instrumental in bringing the hospital to Dayton. She is one of the most ethical and hard-working managers I have ever dealt with. Take a hard look at what you're doing. She is a wonderful asset to Lyon County - Don Smit - Carson Tahoe Regional Health Center's Dayton Hospital project manager.

The county was in good shape before, and under her leadership that continued. I can't say I know the reasons behind the board's actions, but I wan to give my support to her. - Josh Foli, County Comptroller