County to acquire S. Maine parcels

Churchill County Commissioners agreed to acquire three parcels of land on South Maine Street Wednesday afternoon during their regularly scheduled meeting.

A request was approved for the county to acquire three parcels held in trust for future county use. Interest has been expressed in years past by the Churchill County Museum in acquiring the parcels for the purpose of “future planning and expansion.” The parcels are located immediately to the north on South Maine Street,

Clerk Treasurer Kelly Helton informed commissioners the county will be required to pay $14,707.69, the amount of delinquent taxes.

Commissioners also discussed or took action on the following items:

• Approved a letter to the Nevada Congressional Delegation requesting support to continue allowing counties to share in 25 percent of the geothermal rents and royalties in the upcoming federal budget.

Comptroller Alan Kalt noted in his presentation that included in the National Association of Counties brief of the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget submitted to Congress was the elimination of the geothermal lease revenues and payments to the counties. This would result in a loss of more than $4 million to counties in 2014 and $48 million over 10 years, according to federal projections.

In the seven-year period since passage of the 2005 Energy Bill, Churchill County has collected $23,638,238.12 in rents and royalties, according to Kalt.

“This reduction in funding would have a significant impact on our Capital Improvement Plans and operations of essential services in Churchill County,” Kalt noted.

• Approved the dedication of the right-of way — or footprint — for the city of Fallon’s proposed Convention Center Driveway around the perimeter of the Western Nevada College Fallon Campus and Fallon Convention Center. This action provides documents necessary for the city to construct the roadway, which would connect Auction Road and Venturacci Lane.

A petition by New Millennium Building Systems was approved to abandon public roadway easements on their property at 8090 Woolery Way.

• Granted an Old River Water Company (ORWC) request to obtain a waiver from the county’s 2008-01 Policy “Rejection of Point of Use/Point of Entrance as Acceptable Water Systems.

• Accepted the Nevada Department of Transportation 2014 Work Program and 2014-17 fiscal years Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) process after hearing a presentation from NDOT Director Rudy Melancon.

• A Juvenile Probation Office request was approved to reclassify one Detention I specialist position to Detention II. Chief Juvenile Probation Officer De Vere Karlson explained the change would enable the department to create five shift teams, which would create for more efficient coverage at the juvenile detention center.

• Agreed to provide professional appraisal services for a conservation easement on the Baley property.

• Retirement contributions were approved for employment of two employees: Bus Scharmann, current Churchill County School District interim superintendent and county commissioner, and Justice of the Peace Mike Richards, also retired from the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner Scharmann abstained from participation in discussion and voting on this item.

• Agreed to submit a letter to Naval Engineering Facilities Command, Southwest to show appreciation for the Navy’s commitment to acquiring easements.

• John Mincer was re-appointed to the Churchill County TDR program’s Sending Site Review Committee for a three-year term extending from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016.

• Approved a joint-use memorandum with the city of Fallon regarding The Gym at Venturacci Park.

• A conservation easement was approved for property owned by Christopher Utter and Janet D. Henry at 4225 S. Harmon Rd.

• A personal property lease agreement with the school district for the use of golf carts was approved for the CCHS graduation ceremony on June 7. The vote was 2-0, with Scharmann abstaining due to his position as the school district’s interim superintendent.

• Granted a time extension to submit a second final map for the Sand Creek Subdivision until May 21, 2016.

• Set a June 6 appeal hearing for George Thomas in regard to the Churchill County Planning Commission’s decision to issue a special use permit to Richard Cody Deegan to operate a tattoo shop from his property at 4399 Cardinal Way.