By Vern Hee – Special to the Pahrump Valley Times
They came. They saw. People griped.
More than 100 Pahrump residents packed a banquet hall at the Nugget casino on Tuesday to hear the findings of the much ballyhooed community assessment completed by a team of people from the Nevada Rural Development Council. The team compiled information from residents last October to create the report.
It was a rare opportunity for the public to voice its opinion about the state of the community.
Carl Dahlen, community assessment coordinator for the NRDC, presented his group’s findings. He said his team came to Pahrump and interviewed more than 19 groups of people throughout the community for the assessment. They asked each group the following three questions: What are your community’s major challenges or problems? What are your community’s major strengths or assets? What projects or initiatives would you like to see accomplished in your community in the short or long term?
“The community assessment is a tool for community development, a method of strategic planning; it’s a visioning process for your community’s future, and it’s a way to ensure participation,” he said describing the nature of the information gathering.
Dahlen said his team identified six distinct areas of persistent concern. These were: economic development, education, governance, image, infrastructure, and quality of life.
Shelley Hartman, a member of the NRDC team, who works with the Mineral County Economic Development Authority summarized some of the economic development findings.
She said the community had a lot of positives and potential in economic development, including the amount of usable land.
She said the team also found some significant barrier in the minds of some residents.
“Some constraints brought up were impact fees, county utilities and the lack of infrastructure where industrial land is. In addition, people voiced a concern that there was a lack of defined industrial area. Also, there was a concern on whether or not Pahrump could meet the workforce needs of the companies that Pahrump is trying to attract,” she said. “The last concern was a lack of local decent jobs. There are a lot of people unemployed looking for work that do not want to drive into Las Vegas.”
Tom Stevens, a team member who also works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Agency, reported hearing numerous concerns with education and governance.
He said the college at Great Basin was a major asset but people want it expanded. He said there was a perceived need to bring a four-year college to the area. In addition to higher learning, residents expressed a need for more vocational training, classes for seniors and after-school programs.
“A four-year college could bring top notch students from outside the area to live in Pahrump, which in turn would attract more businesses to the area,” he said.
In the area of governance, Stevens related a lot of frustration. He said people felt that there was a strained relationship between the county and the local town board.
“There is no shared vision between the town and the county. People want leadership from the town board and the county. People are frustrated with stalled town projects. There always seems to be a grand project on the horizon … but then it falls apart,” he said.
Along with infighting among officials, he said people commented on the burdensome regulations that hamper residents and businesses alike. Many also seemed to lament the lack of a master plan for Pahrump.
He said people were particularly disgusted with the lack of decorum in town and county meetings.
“People said they wanted to be involved in things but they do not want to go to a town board meeting just to have someone come behind them and say that was a bad idea,” he said.
Hartman reported on image and communication. In her review, she said many people complained about old billboards. There were too many signs that were up for businesses that did not exist anymore. She also said the town was intimidating to visitors.
“If you are not from Pahrump, this town can be scary because you do not know where the town starts and where it ends,” Hartman said.
She said this could be resolved by a few signs. If not, big businesses could overlook the town because they want towns that are organized.
“Site selectors looking to place businesses might come to town and if they can not find things, they will take their business somewhere else.”
Stevens concluded the team’s report with infrastructure and quality of life issues. The main point he said was there is a lack of infrastructure in the town. Infrastructure such as decent roads, broadband Internet, fair utility rates, designated industrial areas and even public transportation.
“A set infrastructure can bring jobs to town,” he said.
As far as quality of life issues, Stevens said the big positive in town was the library.
“Many people in town feel the library is a class act,” he said.
People in town though were concerned with the lack of movie theaters, an indoor recreation facility, a pool, a need for a new senior center, a homeless shelter and a better medical facility, he said. In the end, people love the open spaces here and want to preserve the quiet nature of the town and ability to see the stars at night.
“I am extremely impressed on how many people showed up and the quality of the people that showed up,” said Town Manager Bill Kohbarger. “That is a very positive thing and it is a great way to start the New Year.”
Town board member Harley Kulkin said, “I think everyone is on the same page with what is wrong and what needs to be done with the community. The problem is the ones that make the decisions that influence the challenges we have are not stepping up to the plate at the county level. To keep this energy going we have progress where people do not feel like they’re wasting their time.”
Jan Brabham, a licensed realtor here for 16 years said, “I was invited here by a person at the county commission meeting and I thought this would be a small gathering, but I was impressed when I got here that there were so many people that cared enough to come out. I sat next to some guy that was totally negative. We all live in this community and we have to see what is happening here. It just disappoints me that a lot of the young people are not staying here because they do not have job opportunities.”
In the end, people listened thoughtfully to the presentation with little reaction and when given time to discuss the issues, did so in an orderly and respectful manner. Even though many people disagreed with each other, they all sat peacefully and were able to leave their emotions at the door.
So if someone is “totally negative” they dont have the right to a voice?
I saw this report, and was not impressed with it myself. If we want Pahrump to grow, its not going to happen with slick presentations and high priced studies, it will happen when we stop trying to have foolish “green” projects move here, stop with the pie in the sky projects like the amusement park, AND we let businesses open and thrive here.
Light industry, some more places to shop, a few extra things here and there would make life here ten times better than it it is already, but not at the expense of our rural lifestyle.
We dont need tons of fees and laws, we need leaders with some common sense and the ability to listen to the people.
When I moved here, I took it upon myself to learn the area. I was not scared, I had a spine, got out and got to know people and local businesses. Why can people not do that now?
Here we go again. “People in town though were concerned with the lack of movie theaters, an indoor recreation facility, a pool, a need for a new senior center, a homeless shelter and a better medical facility,” All this has been tried and failed because the people do not support what we have and those business people have to quit. So to all those who want want want support it when it is here or drive to Las Vegas. And by the way if you would read the paper you’d know we have a town pool, and a new Senior Center is in the works and several medical facilities. As for public transportation You didn’t support the bus when we have it. So check things out before you want. It’s the age old saying “put up or shut up” dig deep because this stuff doesn’t come cheap.
There is a person who goes by the handle Carol that is always asking for a movie theatre. She is one of many new residents who bought cheap foreclosed or short sale homes and now want what they had back where ever they came from.
Movie theatres, bed and bath, a costco or Sam’s club and the list goes on. It just isn’t going to happen in Pahrump or probably anywhere in America in my lifetime. If anyone has studied history they know that Henry Ford changed the face of America’s engine of growth. Then came xerox, Eugene Stoner, Microsoft, Google, smart phones, to name a few. That is called TECHNOLOGY. And that is what will prevent movie theatres, and retail stores from coming to Pahrump.
I now have the ability to watch a movie on my smart phone and well as my High Def TV without leaving my home.I can go to RED BOX and rent a movie for a buck.
Blockbuster and Netflix changed the way America looks at movies.Google, amazon and a host of telecommunicatiomn company’s are getting ready to stream HD video to subscribers. Who wants to get in a car and drive to a movie theatre, pay $10 bucks to get in and 6 bucks for popcorn for each person when for $7.99/month I have Netflix and subscribe to Dishnetwork that beams in the latest movies. TECHNOLOGY has changed the way America wants to watch movies.
Now on to bed and bath and whatever retail store you happen to like. Not going to happen. Why? AMAZON.COM
Amazon changed the way America shops for goods and some services. I have used Amazon for a few years now for almost everything I buy. HDTV, Bluray devices, generator, space heaters, camera, video recorder. And no sales tax. That’s the part I like.
And all the manufacturing jobs are in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia. They are not coming back to America with all the hurdles that company’s are required to jump through. Pahrump is trying to create jobs for residents. That is not the job of Pahrump and County leadership. What’s sad is the coming increase in the loss of jobs going forward. I don’t have the answer to creating jobs except get the Federal and State governments out of the way and let businesses create jobs. Like they did for decades until America became a Socialist country.
BTW, Carol, I wan’t specifically picking on you. Your name was the one I remembered but you are not alone. There are many new residents asking for a movie theatre.
I am debt, destroyer of Nations
Rise up
and rise up again
until lambs become lions
When I drive around Pahrump,I am saddened by all the empty buildings,that used to be opened for business.I look at Denny,s and Carl,s Jr.when they opened up,you could barely get a seat,everybody was happy(Oh,it,s about time we got a Carl,s Jr),go to eat there now,you have to kick the tumbleweeds away from the door.That,s the one thing I can,t stand about this Town,after all the hoopla and the FREE %$%# they desert the businesses.They support NOTHING,to keep this Town going.Look at Floyd,s Ace Hardware,it,s deserted.All you have is the older loyals patronizing it.It,s not about the money,it,s about support damn it,even if it,s a dollar more,why are you given all your damn money to Wal-Mart,SPREAD THE WEALTH.This is one way to keep (some) businesses open(PLEASE)…….
This should have been the #1 thing discussed.
“The main point he said was there is a lack of infrastructure in the town. Infrastructure such as decent roads, broadband Internet, fair utility rates, designated industrial areas and even public transportation.”
AND Yes, technology is fantastic and yes it has dampened the whole allure of seeing movies in the theater and whatnot. Netflix is awesome especially to do streaming – but you have a cap on your service depending on who you have… makes it not worth it for this user. Better internet is just 1 example of something that would improve the quality of life here.
Fact of the matter is, there are too many people here (and people that RELY on Pahrump’s resources) and not enough of those resources to accommodate.
A very vaild point about infrastructure. Especially something so simple with today’s technology to get super fast internet to everyone. Even in major cities, the internet is slow compared to Asian country’s, especially S. Korea with the fastest internet in the world. That’s because America doesn’t have the edge and the money any more.
The town of Pahrump could have made a deal to bring in fast bandwith internet but as usual, politics rules over common sense. Maybe that’s why many businesses won’t locate to Pahrump, because of unreliable and slow internet needed for their operations. Centainly Amazon.com isn’t coming to Pahrump w/o high speed internet.
BTW, public transporation never pays for itself. It always has to be subsidized by the taxpyaers. I’m not debating that’s a bad thing but just how many people are going to give up their cars for public transportation?
I’m just curious. Which of you were actually there at the meeting? I was there and I thought it went very well. About 100 people who really want to make Pahrump a better place were there brainstorming ideas. It’s easy to point out what’s wrong. Not so easy to be part of the solution.