Commissioners move forward with transitional housing project

Churchill County commissioners Aug. 21 ratified final displacement agreements with the tenants of 280, 290 and 292 Quail Way.

In compliance with Housing and Urban Development requirements, the county entered into negotiations to assist the tenants with relocation/displacement after the county purchased the properties for its transitional house and homeless day center project.

Social Services Director Shannon Ernst said a fourth agreement in progress was terminated when the tenant defaulted on paying rent and was subsequently evicted.

Commissioners also approved the termination of the Home Means Nevada Initiative deed restriction for 165 N. Ada St. The item was originally attached to the transitional house and homeless day center project which changed when the county purchased the properties on Quail Way.

In other business, commissioners:

• Heard an update of activities and plans related to the Bureau of Land Management's Carson City district presented by Acting Stillwater Field Manager Shedra Rakestraw and Assistant Field Manager Mark Mazza.

• Approved $26,442 for an agreement between the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and Churchill County Social Services, as the designated Family Resource Center, to increase positive parenting through education and skill building and to provide outreach to families in need of community resources to support and increase independent living.

Ernst said the funding allocation will be set aside to use for the annual Community Day and Pinwheels for Prevention events as well as parenting classes at the Juvenile Probation department.

• Approved a $244,742.66 assessment payment made to the Central Nevada Health District for services in fiscal year 2025. Ernst said the payment was not originally included in the county budget and has already been submitted through a split between the Social Services indigent budget and the general fund. The amount is $9,975 less than last year’s payment with the $5 per capita rate applying to a slight reduction in the county’s population this year.

• Amended the bylaws of the Churchill County Planning Commission to remove restrictions regarding the scheduling of, and guidelines for, special meetings. County District Attorney Joseph Sanford noted that the restrictions were not required by either Nevada Revised Statutes or Churchill County codes. Also, the restrictions were conflicting with the ability of the planning commission to meet the public’s needs.

• Adopted resolution 16-2024 establishing Churchill County’s position regarding the relocation of Sand Canyon Road and Pole Line Road as part of the Fallon Range Training Complex Modernization Project. County Manager Jim Barbee said that county discussions with the Navy and the BLM regarding Sand Canyon Road have reached an impasse.

“The BLM under Interior is suggesting that they cannot give the easement to the county as law states without placing maintenance requirements on that road for the county to implement,” Barbee said.

In the original agreement the county had expected the road to remain as a non-maintained road. During discussions, Navy representatives stated that they do not have the authority to pay for maintenance on a road that is not on Navy land.

The approved resolution, which will next be submitted to the U.S. Department of Defense, outlines two potential options; either the BLM could agree to wave the maintenance requirement, or the Navy could agree to assist the county in paying the maintenance costs for the road.