By Selwyn Harris

Pahrump Town Manager Bill Kohbarger’s progress report outlining several ongoing projects in town was accepted by town board members during their regular meeting on Nov. 13.

Kohbarger fielded questions from board members ranging from the latest news on a proposed motorcycle event to be held in town and a Request for Proposal RFP for organizing next year’s fall festival.

Town officials are looking to hire a professional company to handle the event.

“I have not received anything for the motorcycle event yet. I am still waiting for the individual who will submit that. I’m talking about Mr. Randy Burke from Road Shows. I have talked to him and he advised that he would get me something. As far as the RFP for the fall festival, it is not due yet.

“It is out in the paper and I think we left it out there for four weeks so we could get some good notoriety. We also went to the Reno paper as well as the Las Vegas paper, so we are covering the entire state. On RFPs they usually don’t turn them in until the date that they are required to be in,” Kohbarger said.

The lighting project at Petrack Park and the renovation of the park’s restrooms was also part of the discussion.

During a June 12 meeting, town board members gave the go-ahead to provide additional lighting for various public events scheduled in the evening, including soccer matches.

“I can tell you that in February or March of next year, we will move forward with the restrooms because the COC is not complete. It has a due date of Jan. 31 of 2013, so once we get that all wrapped up, the paperwork, money and make sure the lighting is working properly, then we will move on the restrooms,” he said.

The town manager noted that similar work is expected to take place at Kellogg Park.

“That will also be starting in roughly February or March of 2013. We are stretching the Buildings and Grounds Department pretty thin, but they are doing a pretty good job of keeping up,” Kohbarger said.

Board member Dr. Tom Waters said he had concerns about keeping local residents abreast of the status of some the projects occurring around town.

“I think some of the citizens were wondering what was happening with the bathrooms and I know we put that on hold until we finished the lighting. It just seems that there are many people who don’t seem to hear the information even though we put it out,” he said.

Waters had questions about graffiti abatement and wondered whether the town has received any reports of the vandalism recently.

“I was wondering if any of our citizens have made any complaints about any graffiti. I know as I drive around town, I don’t see the same graffiti anymore, so it looks like we are getting at the problem, but I just can’t imagine it going away,” Waters said.

Kohbarger, meanwhile, said that from what he has learned, reports of graffiti have diminished significantly.

“I haven’t had anybody report on graffiti in probably six months. We had one report and I contacted the sheriff’s department and Buildings and Grounds Manager Matt Luis and I believe the sheriff’s department teamed up with buildings and grounds and went out and took care of it and that was right by one of the firefighter’s home.

“If it’s not coming in to our office, it may be coming into the sheriff’s department. He’s been assigned to handle that and has been taking care of it,” Kohbarger said.

Waters also spoke about the recent dedication ceremony of the columbarium at Chief Tecopa Cemetery.

The retired U.S. Air Force veteran urged everyone in the community to visit the site located next to the library on East Street.

“There have been quite a few people who have been asking about having the ashes of their loved ones put in the columbarium. If you haven’t been out to Chief Tecopa Cemetery, to look at the veterans section, it is very beautiful and it is there for the ashes of our veterans.

Town Executive Assistant Samantha Carns noted that she has been contacted by family members who want to have their loved ones interred at the site.

“I have a list of people that I will be giving a call to. They have been waiting to put their reservations in. Anybody who would like to make a reservation, it’s $450 per veteran and it’s based on the amount of money that is granted to the veteran’s family upon their passing. Of course they need to meet the requirements to receive that,” she said.

Waters, meanwhile, commented on the “Welcome Home to Vietnam Veterans” event at the Pahrump Nugget on Veterans Day.

“The welcome home for Vietnam Veterans was something that Jose Tellas put together. It was very, very well done and I’ve had a lot of positive comments on that.

“He had a lot of supporters obviously and a lot of the veterans came out. I would like to say thanks to Jose, thanks to all of the supporters as well as all of the veterans who came out and the families who came out.

“I also have to give a shout-out to the Air Force for the two F-15s that flew over. Our fire chief coordinated that with the pilots to make sure they came by and they flew by at 12:20. Thanks to everybody,” he said.