Matt Hyde has officially announced his intention to run for the office of County Commissioner in District 1, the seat currently held by Commissioner Justin Heath. Heath announced several weeks ago that he is not running for re-election.
Hyde is in the middle of his third term, serving on the Churchill County School Board for the past ten years. He has been re-elected twice.
“I’ve always wanted to run for county commission,” he said, although the timing isn’t exactly right because of how his school district term straddles the commission term. “I don’t think children would ever be born if we always waited for the timing to be exactly right,” he laughed.
During his term on the school board, Hyde has served as a member of the Board of Control of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, the nine-member governing body of high school athletics and activities in Nevada as recognized by the Nevada state legislature. He was the school board president twice and vice president three times.
As a member of the Board of Control, it was important to consider all 17 districts, “not just focus solely on Churchill or Oasis. It’s what’s best for everybody. It really comes down to policy; I’m a big policy-driven guy; if you want to talk to me about policy, that’s where you start to make a change.”
One of Hyde's most significant successes at the school district was getting the strategic plan in place, setting the board goals, and seeing the graduation rate climb after those goals began being implemented.
Hyde has worked for CC Communications for 27 years and is primarily focused on the importance of infrastructure and roads and is concerned about growth. “I don’t want super-fast growth that our infrastructure can’t handle,” he said. “I don’t want to be another bedroom community; we don’t want to be a second Fernley; we need industry, good manufacturing jobs that pay a living wage.”
His father, Willis Hyde was the Watermaster at the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District when Hyde was young, and he grew up knowing the importance of water in the Lahontan Valley. “Water is important, and we are lucky to live over a great aquifer, but we need to keep the water in this valley. That water coming down is ours. Farming is important for the community, the economy, and to protect that aquifer.”
“I just love serving, and I love Churchill County,” said Hyde. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot, and have governing experience and have a lot to contribute.”
District 1 covers the community generally west of Highway 95 and Taylor Street and south of Williams Avenue and Hwy 50 West. For specific clarity on the district boundaries, see the map on the County Commissioners page at churchillcountynv.gov/128/County-Commissioners and check representation by address.
Filing for the 2024 election candidates will open on March 4 and close on March 15. Contact the County Clerk at 774-423-6028 for more information.
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