Churchill County’s working relationship with the Northern Nevada Development Authority was extended for one more year Thursday by county commissioners during their regularly scheduled meeting.
The county aligned with NNDA on July 10, 2012, when commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding at an annual rate of $25,000.
County Manager Eleanor Lockwood indicated in her presentation to commissioners a regional overview provided by NNDA for the 2012-13 fiscal year showed the county doesn’t have any completed relocations or expansions, however, several companies have shown interest in coming to Churchill County. That includes 18 site visits to the county, she reported.
“We’re very excited about the progress made working with Churchill County on both the public and private sides,” said Maurice Washington, NNDA deputy director. “There has been tremendous involvement, and we’re looking forward to putting together what we call a Prosperity Plan for ongoing expansion and future development in the area.”
While Churchill County has aligned itself with NNDA, however, the city of Fallon decided in the past year to join with Pershing and Mineral counties to organize what is known as the Highway 95 Corridor Rural Development Authority.
NNDA covers an area that includes Carson, Douglas, Lyon, Storey and Churchill counties. The regional overview showed that Douglas County was the most successful in attracting new business in FY 2013 — 11 relocations and expansions (two were expansions) and 51 site visits. Washington noted Churchill County’s lower numbers may be reflective of its first-year membership.
“When we first started out with Douglas County, there were very few expansions or relocations,” he said. “So they put together a Vitality Plan, we call them Prosperity Plans, and they put some resources into the plan. They implemented the plan and it was quite successful. It didn’t happen overnight, though. It was probably a three-year effort.”
Commissioners also discussed or took action on the following items:
• Tabled consideration of reimbursement of a series of loans Motor Sports Safety Inc. (MSSI) took out from the county in the 1990s to develop Top Gun Raceway. Commissioners agreed in December 2012 to restructure the medium term debt to allow an additional three years to pay off the existing note. The county will receive semiannual payments of $9,951.83 to be repaid over a period of six years at an interest rate of 4 percent, according to a report from Comptroller Alan Kalt, which further noted the track represents a “significant positive fiscal impact” for the community during its season. The outstanding principal balance is $104,348.88 plus accrued interest from Jan. 1, 2013. The item will be brought back to the commissioners again at a later date.
• Approved a community support funding request from the Lion’s Club Junior Rodeo Association in the amount of $1,000. The rodeo, an annual event since at least the 1950s, is being held Aug. 31-Sept. 2, at the Churchill County Fairgrounds. It will be part of the community-wide Labor Day weekend celebration that includes the Cantaloupe Festival.
• Approved a Memorandum of Agreement between Churchill County and Bell Land Surveying.
• Approved a request from the Churchill Animal Protection Society (CAPS) for the first quarterly installment of $5,000 of the $20,000 allocated for the 2013-14 fiscal year.
• Approved a $200 payment to Newmont USA for the lease of a 20-by-40-foot area which the county utilizes for a meteorological data station.
• Approved a request to transfer funds to the county road department from Regional Transportation funds in the amount of $214,343.94 for the first and final payment on the Gummow Drive asphalt overlay project and the Alcorn/V-Line bridge replacement project.
• Approved Lockwood’s performance evaluation and granted a merit pay increase. Lockwood has served as county manager for the past year.
• Ratified a fund agreement with TAS Energy for apparent overpayment of the sales and use tax by TAS on the Patua Project.
• Heard an update from Terri Knutson, Bureau of Land Management Stillwater field office manager, of current activities, plans or actions related to the BLM’s Carson City District.