Leanna Lehman
With road improvements, a new fire maintenance shop, and other construction projects on the horizon, Churchill County commissioners approved creating a project manager position to help oversee the growing workload.
County Manager Joe Sanford told commissioners during their Oct. 15 meeting that the Public Works, Planning, and Building Department is responsible for managing several projects, including the reconstruction of Lone Tree Road, grant-funded improvements, and a possible future courthouse. Much of that responsibility currently falls on one employee, Public Works Director Randy Hines.
"Currently, the Public Works Planning and Building Department oversees these projects, but when we say public works, what we really mean is Randy, because he's the only person in the public works," Sanford said.
Sanford said the county needs someone dedicated to managing construction schedules, coordinating projects, and ensuring that work meets grant requirements. Rather than filling the vacant assistant county manager position, he recommended using the available funding toward a project manager and an existing grant management position.
The project manager would be an additional expense, but Sanford said grant funding could cover a substantial portion of the salary. He estimated that roughly a couple hundred thousand dollars in grant funding would be available for the work over five years, although he cautioned it would not cover the entire cost.
Commissioner Matt Hyde questioned whether the proposed pay grade of 17 would be sufficient to attract a qualified candidate. "To me, for a project manager, that seems a bit on the light side," Hyde said.
Sanford explained that human resources evaluated the position between grades 17 and 18. He recommended grade 17 to keep it consistent with the building official and senior planner positions, while acknowledging that the county may eventually need to review salaries to remain competitive.
Commissioners unanimously approved creating the position and authorized immediate recruitment.
Commissioners also approved raising the county's capitalization threshold from $3,000 to $15,000. The policy determines which purchases must be recorded and tracked as capital assets rather than routine expenses.
Sanford said the $3,000 threshold had been in place since 2001 and was creating unnecessary administrative work as ordinary purchases became more expensive. Purchases made with federal funds will follow whichever threshold is lower, the county's or the federal government's. Sanford said the current federal threshold is $10,000.
In another action, commissioners approved entering into a settlement agreement with Albertsons as part of the national opioid litigation. The county's estimated net share is $56,188.87 after attorney fees, according to the agenda information. The money will be distributed under the One Nevada Agreement.
Commissioners also unanimously approved initiating Ordinance 2026-E, beginning the process of establishing the Churchill Hazen Industrial Park (CHIP) General Improvement District. The action does not create the district but allows the county to notify affected property owners and provide an opportunity to protest its formation. During public comment, resident Michelle Anderson questioned whether the county should wait until prospective industrial businesses sign binding contracts before establishing the district. An organizational hearing is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 18. For more on the proposed district, see the feature story, "Hazen Industrial Park Clears First Hurdle."
The next regular commission meeting is scheduled for Nov. 5.
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