By Mark Waite

Nye County commissioners Tuesday agreed to pay for permits and fees for the new multipurpose training facility at 2871 E. Mesquite Ave., that will allow buildings to be used for classroom training.

The action came after the last county commission meeting in Tonopah March 6, in which Nye County District Attorney Brian Kunzi was alarmed to find trailers at the facility were approved by the Nevada Department of Manufactured Housing but were being used without water or electrical connections. Nye County Interim Community Development Director Darrell Lacy described them as “training props.”

Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley said a temporary certificate of occupancy was issued for the buildings a year ago. County Manager Pam Webster said holding classroom training in the buildings would require a permanent certificate of occupancy.

Webster said the plan for the trailers was for outside use only, a statement contradicted by the DA.

“You’re telling me people going inside a trailer to do a fire exercise is not using it? If that’s the line we’re drawing in the sand, we got some serious problems,” Kunzi said. “It’s my understanding they’re going into it to do scenarios. They are using the building. To say we’re allowing people to go in there without a properly inspected building and we’re trying to draw this distinction that it’s a training prop really causes me a lot of concerns we need to address.”

A federal training exercise was just held at the facility last week.

The discussion came up after Eastley suggested the county come up with ways to streamline the permitting of trailers in Tonopah, so residents can get utility service, in anticipation of the housing boom when the SolarReserve construction project gets into full swing this summer.

Last October, Nye County Facilities Manager Bob Jones was scolded for moving into the new mechanics shop, part of the new Buildings and Grounds facilities with another employee without a certificate of occupancy.

On Tuesday, commissioners agreed to pay the $2,738 for the site plans, soils report and permits at the multi-purpose training facility with Charles Abbott and Associates, which operates the Pahrump Building and Safety Department.

Nye County Emergency Services Director Brent Jones was told the expenditure Tuesday only covered the permits and fees, any additional requirements to comply with the certificate of occupancy would need to be added separately.

The complex, which allows training for firefighters on battling fires, using the Jaws of Life and other maneuvers, was constructed after county commissioners, without comment, authorized $293,705 for the construction in April 2010. A number of other items were added to the project cost since then.

Commissioners are drawing up fees and policies for private organizations and others to use the facility.