The Churchill County Commission held its second meeting of November last week.
Naval Air Station Fallon notified commissioners that the draft environmental impact statement to assess potential environmental impacts to the proposed modernization of the Fallon Range Training Complex has been prepared.
The Navy trains all deploying naval aviation and special warfare units on the Fallon ranges. The proposal to draw additional land for training was first announced in 2016 and includes renewal of the current public land withdrawal; land range expansion through additional withdrawal of public lands and acquisition of non-federal land; airspace expansion and modifications; and upgrades to range infrastructure.
The draft EIS is available at public libraries. Seven public meetings — including one in Fallon — are scheduled throughout central Nevada beginning Dec. 10. The Fallon meeting is slated for Fallon on Dec. 12 from 5-8 p.m. at the Fallon Convention Center.
According to the Navy, the meetings will include an open-house information sessions. Navy representatives will be available to provide information and answer questions, and then followed by a presentation and an oral comment session. Written and oral comments will be accepted at each meeting.
Public comments may also be provided by mail or through the project website at www.FRTCModernization.com. Comments must be postmarked or received online by Jan. 15. Background information on the range modernization may also be found at this website.
Ken Collum, field manager of the Bureau of Land Management’s Stillwater Field Office, said the land around Bell Mountain west of the State Highway 361 to Gabbs and the Navy’s Bravo 17 range will not be withdrawn by the Navy for its range modernization proposal.
Collum said 76,000 acres will be affected.
A first reading for Bill No. 2018-G, Ordinance 37 was read to amend provisions of the Churchill County Code to include buildings and construction, establishment of the schedule of fees, codes adopted and effective acts of adopted codes.
As new technology products and procedures become available in the building industry, Marie Hensen, the county’s building inspector, said in her agenda report to commissioners that code requirements adapt and change. The review of Title 14, therefore, led to the proposed changes in four areas.
Henson said wording needs to be cleaned up.
Commissioners approved a software license agreement with the Center for Applied Management Practices, Inc., for data collection software. The software, which is used by the Social Services Department, costs $2,100.
Commissioners also directed the Churchill County assessor to take certain actions regarding the Secured Tax Roll for 2019-2020 and reviewed a 3 percent cap on property taxes that contributed to tax collections from the Senior Citizen Ad Valorem Levy for fiscal year 2017-2018 to be 29 percent below budget; approved the golf course septic to sewer consolidation not to exceed $36,675;changed the date of July’s first meeting date to July 10 because of Independence Day; and declared certain uncollected taxes as uncollectable and striking those taxes from the tax rolls.
Commissioners said the Churchill Area Regional Transportation is now transporting clients to Reno twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For information and details, call the Reno Transportation Shuttle at 775-867-4498