BLM to cut trees to reduce fire danger

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management plans to try and prevent wildfires in the Pine Nut Mountains southeast of Dayton by reducing the vegetation.

The action will be taken southwest of Mill Canyon and would include cutting piñon and juniper trees to reduce the threat of wildfires.

But Commissioner LeRoy Goodman complained there's not enough trees in Nevada, and said he didn't like the idea of more being cut down.

BLM fire ecologist Keith Barker and fuels specialist Tim Roide said they do want public comments, and interested persons can download a form at: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html, to submit comments.

The project will last five to seven years and will shred the cut trees, leaving vegetation such as grass, sagebrush and bitterbrush alone.

Barker and Roide also said the area is a sage grouse lek, or breeding area, and the effort will help preserve that.

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Lyon County property owners who have enough junk in their yards to be called a nuisance will have to pay the cost of cleaning up the property.

Commissioners proposed an ordinance June 21 that will provide for liens on nuisance property equal to the cost of cleaning up.

The ordinance will be heard 9:30 a.m. Thursday during the commission meeting.

Under the ordinance, a notice will be delivered to an adult at the offending residence, mailed or posted in an obvious location on the property. That notice will give the reason for the nuisance, and if the problem isn't handled, the property owner will have to appear before the commission.

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New, three-year contracts with public defenders Jesse Kalter, Paul Yohey and Ken Ward have been approved by the commission.

The amount of the contract is $71,640 more than the county budgeted, or $128,880 per attorney for a total of $386,640.

The county budgeted $315,000 for public defender services for 2007-08.

Bob Hadfield, interim county manager, said costs included a public defender office in Dayton and provided services requested by the county's district justices.

Ward told the commissioners that the increase in population and increase in cases as well as fuel costs justified the increases.

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Lobbyists Walker and Associates will once again cover Lyon County's interests in the Legislature. The commissioners approved a $25,000 contract for lobbying services June 21.

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