COMMUNITY VIEWPOINT: We were novices in the petition business!

As a DISCLAIMER, please understand that I speak ONLY for myself as a Town Board member and will provide accurate information as I see it through my research. All information is reviewed by several entities to ensure there are no NRS violations.

I’d like to personally thank that BOLD group of Pahrump residents that took upon themselves an attempt to reinstate Pahrump’s “elected” Town Board by placing it on the November 2014 ballot.

I also want to thank all of those residents and supporters who stepped up to have their voices heard. Although it was in accordance with NRS 269.0165, it is evident that we were NOVICES in the petition business.

They would have needed 2,639 signatures by the allotted deadline. Because they were novices, they failed to know about another NRS that required details that they had missed.

Once implemented, they had a mere SEVEN days to gather the needed signatures. Unfortunately, they were only able to get just under 500 signatures by the deadline. Even with that, people were still coming forward to sign the petition right up to and even after the deadline. We found that many people still didn’t “get the word” even though KNYE Radio, KVPM-TV, and both newspapers (Pahrump Valley Times and the Mirror) carried the message loud and clear. Had they been successful, it would have cost Nye County ZERO Dollars to place the question on the November ballot. But, they were novices.

In my discussions with several residents, I remember that even the experienced “Recalls R Us” crowd had difficulty getting signatures against all of their causes and, even though they were out in force against Commissioner Borasky and got questionable signatures, they still failed at getting him out of office. There is a current group attempting to get enough signatures to recall four of the five Town Board members and, if they get enough signatures, it will cost Nye County over $40,000 for a recall election.

I also recall that the petition gathers in 2012 failed to gather enough signatures to place the question on the ballot to “discontinue” the elected Pahrump Town Board. However, the Nye County Commissioners chose to respond to the crowd and use their authority to place it on the ballot anyway. While three of the five 2012 commissioners are still there, is that a possibility again for 2014? I’ll leave that for the people and the commissioners to decide. Again, let me emphasize, placing it on the ballot for a vote by the people in November 2014 would cost Nye County ZERO Dollars.

I hope there is a “hearer of the nearly 500 people” among the current Nye County Commissioners to place it on their agenda to allow the people to vote in 2014. And, if that commissioner is found, I hope he (or she) will be supported by at least two others merely to place the issue on the ballot. Yes, they would need to continue the transition planning with the current Town Board and the Town staff because they may yet need to take over. That would also let the people know that they are fair minded by listening to the people now as they chose to do in 2012. Although, across our nation, stifling the vote of people is rampant but I hope that is not the case in Nye County.

I admit that my primary concern in this is the Town Staff. There is expertise there that cannot be replaced or regained if lost. I am certain that some commissioners and county staff are also concerned about this loss of expertise.

Questions?? Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments about this letter.

Dr. Tom Waters

Pahrump Town Board

twaters@pahrumpnv.org

775-764-0949