County Commission Wrap-up of January 6th meeting

  by Rachel Dahl --  Churchill County commissioners met on Monday, January 6, 2019 in a regular meeting, rescheduled due to the holidays. During the meeting they voted to extended for three years the professional services contract they have had with Jeff Cruess as the County Surveyor. Mr. Cruess has served in this capacity for the past ten years, charging $150 per map review. After ten years at this rate, commissioners agreed to increase the rate to $180 per map. Commissioners also voted to renew their contract with Bruce Breslow of Nevada Strategies LLC., at the rate of $5,500 per month. The county contracted with Breslow last year to provide consulting services on economic development, housing, and long-term planning issues. Although county manager Jim Barbee was absent from the meeting due to illness, he had asked Breslow to give a report to the commissioners regarding his activities on the behalf of the county. Breslow said he has spent time getting to know the staff at the county and the issues facing the community. During that time, it became apparent that there is a need for affordable housing, as well as market-rate multi-family housing. “We proposed a housing needs assessment,” said Breslow, “the county contracted with EKAY Economics, and that study was completed July 30.” He said an update was completed just recently with new census data. Because of these housing needs, the county has moved forward to purchase land on Coleman Road that could be used for affordable multi-family housing. That property needs infrastructure and the county is working on ideas to fund extend water and sewer to that site. When the funding is acquired for those improvements, requests for proposals will be issued for affordable multi-family housing. Breslow has been in contact with developers from northern Nevada and have had three of them out to see the site and they feel it is very valuable. He said two of them are “chomping at the bit” to respond to any RFP. In his work with developers, he has found that fees in Churchill County are much higher for sewer and water hook-up to develop property, but in working with the county manager and staff he believes they have worked through some solutions. Breslow has also been working with the developer of the large industrial property located in Hazen, Tim Tucker with Churchill Hazen Industrial Park project. Again, major infrastructure will be needed to make that project viable, and after 32 meetings with the developer, Breslow suggested creating an assessment district which would generate funds from companies that locate there to make the improvements. “Growth is moving in this direction,” said Breslow. At Breslow’s request, the Whittemore/Tucker group hired a third-party consultant to do economic impact study on CHIP to find out what the economic reality is. The study, completed by EKAY Economics, showed that just the first half of the first phase would produce $41.7 million in revenue for the county and create up to 5,997 jobs, using the formula the state has for industrial development. Other meetings attended by Breslow included a trip to Washington D.C. with commissioners to meet with the Economic Development Administration and Merchant McIntyre regarding grant applications, as well as the congressional delegation to discuss the Navy expansion and modernization. Breslow also has attended several meetings of the Churchill County 2020 Master Plan update and met with the planning commission. The goal is to submit the draft of the update to commissioners this summer. Breslow also met with staff regarding the need for collateral marketing to hand out to companies looking to come to Churchill County. “Those meetings resulted in the beautiful new economic development brochure designed by the public information officer, Anne McMillin,” he said. In other business, commissioners voted to support the detachment of the 11-acre parcel owned by Greg and Eve Holmes at 100 Airport Road from the City of Fallon. Because of the location it is extremely difficult to comply with the requirements for municipal water sewer. The Holmes are in the process of un-annexing from the City and with the commission support with go back to the city to complete the process. Changes were made to the policies and the administration of the Jim Regan Memorial Scholarship, and the date was set for the commission meeting required to canvass the votes of the 2020 election. The canvass was set for November 12^th at 8:15 a.m. Thomas Kutansky was appointed to serve on the Fallon Golf Course, Inc. Board of Directors, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Leslie Paul. Commissioners approved a lease agreement with the Churchill County School District of the property located at 1245 Austin Highway. Ben Shawcroft explained that the lease on the property near the hospital recently expired and the school district is interested in using the property in their agriculture program. The lease with the district will be the same as the previous tenant, $562 per year. The county is not required to go to bid because they are leasing it to another government agency. Commissioners also approved a right-of-way agreement with Verner Homes that allows access to property and dedication of land for the placement of a redundant well and water system for back-up municipal supply at the Sand Creek subdivision off Casey Road. The agreement provides for the credit of water and sewer hook up fees in compensation with the value of $27,400. Commissioners meet in their regular meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 8:15 a.m., and the third Wednesday of the month at 1:15 p.m.         Never miss a meeting or community event – keep an eye on the community calendar at https://www.thefallonpost.org/events/ If you like what we’re doing, please support our effort to provide local, independent news and contribute to The Fallon Post, your online news source for all things Fallon.