Water district now leasing its own office
With staffing levels increasing in recent years, Nye County has been doing the office shuffle, moving its departments around in an attempt to accommodate everyone but now, the county is shuffling the Nye County Water District right out of its buildings all together.
As a result, going forward the water district will have to bear the cost of leasing its own space, despite a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county dating back to 2011 that states the county will provide the water district with an office.
“The county is willing to provide staffing, technical and consultative activities, office equipment, office space, utilities and general office supplies,” the 2011 MOU reads. “This agreement shall continue until otherwise agreed by the parties or it is otherwise amended by mutual agreement…”
Nye County Manager Brett Waggoner told the Nye County Water District Governing Board during its April meeting that the county can no longer accommodate the water district because it is out of space. “We have a building that we had to completely abandon, that was two departments,” Waggoner said. “We’ve got the parole and probation department that we’ve had to relocate, we’ve had the clerk’s (non-court services) relocate… It’s literally just a matter of space.”
Waggoner also strove to dispel the idea that the move was a retaliatory action due to contention between himself and water district general manager Dann Weeks. “Our issue with space has nothing to do with an individual, it has nothing to do with this board,” Waggoner stated. “I think Dann works his butt off for you guys and I’ve actually been impressed. It’s the best I’ve ever seen… You guys have a heck of a guy, right there.”
At the water board’s most recent meeting, held May 27, Weeks provided the board with an update on the status of finding a new location for its operations.
“The office that you all directed me to lease out has been secured,” Weeks announced. “Services are established – we have power, the a/c system is working, we have transferred the telephone and I’m currently working on internet service. We are getting very close to moving furniture and everything is progressing as directed.”
There was some foreshadowing of future reductions in county assistance to the water district, as well, with Weeks noting, “I need to work with Mr. Waggoner and Mrs. Debra Strickland (Nye County commissioner and liaison to the water board) on various matters included in the MOU – what services will be continued and which won’t be.”
The cost of the lease, which begins June 1, is just over $15,700 per year. The new Nye County Water District Office is located at 2340 E. Calvada Blvd., Suite 6, in the plaza at the intersection of Honeysuckle Street. The phone number has not changed and remains 775-727-3487.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
