By Richard Stephens
Outgoing Commissioner Joni Eastley received warm thanks from the Beatty Town Advisory Board at its Dec. 12 meeting.
The board presented her with a plaque in honor of her 12 years of service, and she also received a giant thank-you card signed by many Beatty residents.
Board member Erika Gerling praised Eastley for her dedication and for always being a dependable advocate for Beatty.
Eastley said she loves the town.
“You people have a vision for what you want your community to be, and you don’t let anything get in your way. You just go for it.”
Asked about word that she had applied for a position with the county, Eastley said she had been offered the position of assistant county manager. She said it is “something I’d like to do very much.”
“Having served 12 years on the county commission, I’m uniquely qualified for this position,” said Eastley. “I understand all the Nye County communities. I know their personalities. I know how they think. I know what pisses them off.”
Eastley was not the only one recognized at the meeting.
She and County Manager Pam Webster thanked Beatty Justice of the Peace Gus Sullivan for two years of filling in for the Tonopah Justice Court.
They praised Sullivan for the job he did, which saved the county a good deal of money. They also said he had never submitted lodging and meal expenses when traveling and staying in Tonopah, but had paid them out of his own pocket.
“You set an example for others to follow,” said Webster, who also said that it was amazing that Sullivan was able to work with two separate staffs, each with their own culture, without ever complaining or generating any complaints from anyone.
The board had little business to conduct. They approved paying a per-diem for Town Secretary Carrie Radomski to attend Incident Command System training in Tonopah January 23, 24, 30, and 31. Some of the board members also plan to attend the classes.
They also decided to hold only one board meeting in January because Radomski and as many as three board members would be gone for the training at the time normally scheduled for the second monthly meeting.
Eastley did have one question that the board could not answer. This involved the make-up of the Beatty General Improvement District board of directors. She said no one had filed for election or re-election to that board and was under the understanding that there was almost no one left on the board, but Gerling and Radomski said that the positions had been filled by appointment.
Eastley said she would like to know “who appointed them, because we the commissioners didn’t.” She said she would have to look into the matter further.
Ann Marchand and Karen Jacoby were on hand to announce the winners of the chamber of commerce Christmas lighting competition.
First place for residential lighting went to Mike and Georgine Willis, second place to Mike and Julie Watkins, and there was a tie for third place between Andy and Jeannie Ibarra and Erik and Teresa Maciaszek.
The Happy Burro took first place in the commercial contest, with the Sourdough Saloon coming in second, and KC’s Outpost and the Perk Ranger tied for third.
Diane McGinnis said that there had been “something of a mix-up” about the Boy Scout organizational meeting. She said that scouting officials have now met with the school principal and had filled out necessary papers to get fliers sent out. A new meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 19.
She also said that they would be working to organize a 4-H program also, since only the Venturing program was open to girls.
McGinnis also said that the Beatty Clinic will be hosting free classes for seniors. They both are to educate people how to manage chronic diseases. The classes will be held at the Beatty Clinic unless the turnout is such as to require other facilities.
The first class, which will cover a variety of chronic diseases, is scheduled to begin Jan. 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The second class, which will focus specifically on living with diabetes, is set to begin Feb. 19. at the same time and place.
Albert Verrilli said he had visited the Toys for Smiles factory in Las Vegas and had been given 50 hand-made wooden toys, which will be distributed by the Beatty Volunteer Fire Department’s Santa Claus.
Reporting for the Beatty Economic Development Corporation, Verrilli said there is “reason for optimism” regarding development of the Bullfrog Mine property, but he said he could say no more.
Regarding progress on the Town Square Park project, Radomski said she was told that the granting agency was “working through the federal side of the process,” and the town did not yet have the paperwork in hand to fill out.
