By Mark Waite
Justice of the peace salaries were left unchanged for this fiscal year, county commissioners decided Tuesday.
There was also talk about asking the JPs to take a furlough day, like other county employees.
That could change after a meeting between County Manager Pam Webster, Human Resources Director Danelle Shamrell and the two justices of the peace not retiring, Beatty J.P. Gus Sullivan and Pahrump J.P. Kent Jasperson.
Webster pointed out the JPs didn’t get a raise in the fiscal year that just ended June 30 and nothing is budgeted for this year.
In August 2007 county commissioners allowed a 7 percent increase in salaries for the justice of the peace to $69,563 annually that year, that was followed by 3 percent annual increases through June 30, 2011. The JPs now receive $76,013 annual salaries.
Pahrump JP Tina Brisebill is retiring this year after 12 years; she pushed commissioners to increase salaries in 2007, pointing out the Elko JP was paid an annual salary of $107,656.
At the time, Brisebill pointed out she handled 2,733 non-traffic cases in one year, compared to 541 in Tonopah Justice Court and 157 in Beatty Justice Court, but commissioners awarded the raises to all the JPs after Tonopah JP Joe Maslach said they were all full-time judges. Maslach took the early retirement buyout last year.
A second Pahrump JP, Jasperson, took office in January 2009 after commissioners were reminded the second justice position was necessary when Nye County exceeded 40,000 population.
Sullivan spoke briefly to commissioners by video conference from Beatty. He pointed out the two remaining judges who aren’t retiring want to be heard.
Sullivan had to fill in for Maslach in Tonopah Justice Court after he retired, a 93-mile drive each way.
“You guys asked me to step up to the plate and take care of the Tonopah Justice Court, which I have been doing for a year with no increase, the only thing I was given was a vehicle, no lunch, no nothing,” Sullivan said.
Webster complimented Sullivan for an outstanding job filling in at both courts.
District Attorney Brian Kunzi suggested approving the salaries with no increase at this time and asking if the justices would take a voluntary furlough.
Commissioner Dan Schinhofen wanted to go back to the salaries of 2010-2011.
“Everybody else is taking cuts over the last year and a lot of the elected officials voluntarily joined in the furloughs. I don’t know how many people here did. I’m not willing to support this while everybody else takes cuts and this group didn’t,” Schinhofen said.
Eastley pointed out some of the county commissioners didn’t voluntarily take pay cuts or the furloughs.
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- Beatty J.P. Gus Sullivan
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- Pahrump J.P. Kent Jasperson
I don’t know why taxpayer funded PUBLIC EMPLOYEES always point to someone, somewhere being paid more as justification for them being paid more. I see their lower pay bein justification for the overpaid JP in Elko to have a pay CUT!. This goes on in every corner of our PUBLIC SERVANTS, more, more, more, while ordinary taxpayers pick up the tab and take home less, less, less. If they don’t like their paycheck, then get another job and let someone be the JP who will appreciate the pay and do the job! I’m sure there will be no shortage of candidates to fill the position.
There is one candidate running against JP Sullivan named Kay Handy, and judging (no pun intended)by her enthusiasm and dedication to her campaign as well as years of service to the community, she takes this position very seriously.
Just because someone has “years of service to the community” does not mean they are qualified for the position. There are lots of people who have years of service in the community for instance the people that work for Beatty Disposal, so your saying they should be elected Justice of the Peace based on community service alone? I believe if something is not broke don’t fix it! Judge Sullivan is a professional and fair man with years of service to the people of Nye County and who does his job with honesty and integrity, and should be re-elected to his position and continue his service.
I’m not exactly sure how you misunderstood my statement. Nowhere does it say that service to the community qualify’s anyone for any position. I said she takes her campaign and the position seriously. I agree with you, I happen to think Gus Sullivan is a fair and decent man. I’m not sure how new to the community’s of Amargosa Valley & Beatty you are, but if you never had the pleasure to meet his father the late Bill Sullivan, he was perhaps the best JP that the community has ever had, not to mention a damn fine man too. When Bill was elected to the position he had no prior experience in law (to the best of my knowledge)and he had many “years of service to the community” one of which was nearly 30 yrs as BVFD Fire Captain. I know if he were alive today whom he would vote for (of course his son) but I would also like to believe that he would be very proud of Kay Handy just for having the courage to run, that’s the kind of man he was.