Lyon County manager to get second evaluation

Lyon County Manager Dennis Stark will undergo his second performance review by the commissioners Thursday, and said he's looking forward to it.

"I think it's been an exciting year here in Lyon County," he said. "I considered the first year a transitional period and trying to bring the county back to the basics in core values."

Stark's first evaluation came only six months after he was hired on Sept. 17, 2007, ending a period of turmoil that saw the commission fire former manager Donna Kristaponis and hire as interim manager Bob Hadfield of Douglas County. Hadfield is the chairman of the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway and was then president of the Nevada Association of Counties.

At the time, Commissioner Bob Milz called Stark "a 10," on a scale of 1 to 10.

"You get along with staff, keep us informed," he said at the time. "You did a fantastic job on the budget, and we are pleased you are here."

Commissioner Larry McPherson, who has admitted to disagreeing with Stark, described the county manager as "OK."

Commissioner LeRoy Goodman said he found working with Stark enjoyable, and received good comments from Fernley officials about their dealings with the county manager.

Commissioner Phyllis Hunewill characterized the budget process as the smoothest one in 10 years and said it reflected on Stark's ability to work with staff.

"We had a lot of fires to put out the first year," he said, naming the Fernley flooding and Extreme Makeover home show that was in Stagecoach. "This is complicated by election season being here. We look forward to goal setting and vision sessions in January and February once new commissioners take their places on the board."

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.