Commissioners approve COVID vaccination incentive plan

County commissioners approved a COVID incentive program at their last meeting on June 16.

County Manager Jim Barbee said there’s a push for the state and federal government to increase the percentage of people receiving the COVID vaccination.

Barbee said the county will share the $20,000 cost with the city and with matching funds from the COVID relief dollars.

Barbee said the Churchill County Public Health team requested to implement a large media campaign by offering a drawing to Churchill County residents who obtain full vaccination by the evening of Aug. 28 at the 2021 Fallon Cantaloupe Festival. The incentives would be as follows:
One award of $5,000; one award of $3,000; two awards of $2,000; two awards of $1,500; two awards of $1,000; three awards of $500; and six awards of $ 250. Barbee said residents must either receive two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of Janssen.

In order to be eligible, people must be a Churchill County resident; cannot be an elected or appointed official of Churchill County or the city of Fallon; cannot be an employee of the Churchill County Social Services Department; and must upload a copy of their vaccination card and contact information no later than 3 p.m. of Aug. 28, 2021.

Commissioners also discussed the evaluation of Barbee, which according to Nevada Revised Statutes, must be conducted in an open meeting.

Commissioners ranked Barbee in six categories with 5 being the highest rating. He received 4.67 in job knowledge, interaction/communication, job production, planning, work environment, and a 3.33 in public relations. His overall performance was 4.67.

“I think we’re pretty happy with Jim’s performance,” Commission Chairman Pete Olsen said.

Commissioner Greg Koenig said he doesn’t like the mechanism to evaluate the county  manager and would like to have a future discussion on it.

• Heard a presentation on the Indigent Defense Services regulations and requirements from Marcie Ryba, director, State of Nevada Department of Indigent Defense Services. The Board of Indigent Defense Services recently passed regulations, which are effective as of March 5, 2021. The regulations require counties to submit Plans for the Provision of Indigent Defense Services. The Plan is due September 3, 2021.

•Adopted Resolution 13-2021, which seeks to augment and amend the 2020-2021 Budget of the County of Churchill. The augmentation is to implement changes in the budget due to greater than anticipated opening fund balances and revenues. The augmentation is needed to be in compliance with the Local Government Budget Act contained in NRS. 354. This is a housekeeping item for the budget.

•Approved the renewal proposal from Nevada Public Agency Insurance Pool (POOL) and approve payment from Fiscal Year 2021-2022 funds. POOL provides the county with its property and liability insurance. The renewal proposal includes a summary of the coverage provided to the county. The renewal represents approximately 4.58% increase, which comes about because of increased claims throughout the POOL and a hardening of the property/liability insurance market.

•Approved a six-month contract extension with Merchant McIntyre & Associates for $45,000 through Dec. 31, 2021 for pursuing grant opportunities, federal funding, and government relation strategies designed to accomplish Churchill County's federal funding objectives.
•Approved a one-year contract renewal for the provision of managed services for IT (information technology) and continuation of security programs for $249,420, effective July 1, 2021.

•Approved of an Agreement for Professional Services to reappoint Dr. Tedd McDonald as the Churchill County Health Officer and chair of the Churchill County Board of Health for $1,000 per year.

•Approved of Job Descriptions and Pay Grades for positions at the William N. Pennington Life Center.

Approved a job description and pay grade for a registrar position at the Churchill County Museum and to reclassify an employee from museum curator to registrar.

•Approved personnel changes approved in the Fiscal Year (FY) 21-22 Budget.

•Approved a Job Description and Pay for a senior planner, permit technician and fairgrounds operations deputy.

•Approved Pay Tables for FY 21-22.

•Approved Budget Transfer #1 for Fiscal Year 2020-21.

•Approved of the Fiscal Year End Monetary Transfers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.

•Adopted a resolution seeking to dissolve the Fairgrounds Sale Proceeds Fund and to transfer the remaining funds in the fund to the general fund to partially cover construction costs for the Civic Center.

•Adopted resolution 15-2021 seeking to dissolve the Cemetery Beautification Fund.

•Approved an automatic augmentation #1 for Grants Fiscal Year 2020-21.

•Approved a Lease Agreement with Churchill Area Regional Transportation for the continued use of the property at 310 Court St.

•Approved of a parcel map application filed by Hendrix Ranch for property located at 568 and 640 N. Downs Lane, Assessor's Parcel Number 007-571-32, consisting of 58.94 acres in the A-10 zoning district, whereby approved variances for the minimum lot size allow the creation of 2 lots for the existing homesites that are less than the 10 acres required by code to separate them from the farmland.