65°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

4 appointed to Nye County water board

The Nye County Water District Governing Board has been restored to functionality following the appointment of four new members, including Michael Lach, Ed Goedhart, Helene Williams and Bruce Holden.

The water board was dismantled in early November last year when county commissioners made the unprecedented, unanimous decision to recall all seven of the then-sitting board members. This prompted water district general manager Oz Wichman to resign effective immediately, leaving both the board and the district devoid of leadership.

Though some members of the public felt it would be best to simply allow the water district to fade into nothingness, the law that created the water district would not permit such a lack of action. Commissioners are required by the Nye County Water District Act to appoint board members and they did so on Tuesday, April 19.

The Nye County Water District Governing Board is to be made up of seven members. The board includes one member from Currant Creek/Smoky Valley-Area 1, one from Tonopah-Area 2, one from Amargosa/Beatty-Area 3, and three from Pahrump-Area 4. The seventh members is “at-large” and must be a resident of Nye County other than the Pahrump Valley.

Nye County Commissioner Debra Strickland came to Tuesday’s meeting prepared with exactly who she wanted to see placed on the water board, starting off the discussion by making a motion to appoint Lach to the “at-large” position. That motion passed with all in favor.

Moving on, Strickland attempted a motion to appoint Williams, Holden and Goedhart to the three available Pahrump positions. However, Nye County Administrative Manager Sam Tackett interjected that she had spoken with Goedhart and learned that he was actually applying to hold the Amargosa/Beatty seat, rather than a Pahrump seat. Amenable to this, Strickland changed her motion, calling for Goedhart to be named to the Amargosa/Beatty seat. That motion also passed unanimously.

Finally, Strickland motioned for Holden and Williams to be appointed to two of the three Pahrump seats and once again the vote went through without any dissent.

Those appointed comprised four of the seven total applications received by the county. Applicants Louis Baker, Ammie Nelson and Eddie Williams had all requested a Pahrump position and despite the fact that there was still one open Pahrump seat available, the commissioners made the decision to forgo filling that seat at this time.

As commissioner Strickland noted, the point of the item that morning was to get a quorum established with experienced, knowledgeable members so the water board could begin to hold its public meetings once more. The last meeting of the board was held in July, 2021. Its next meeting is set for Thursday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Beatty riled by sheriff’s substation closure

Lone staffer will be relocated to Pahrump to help with workload there; be onsite in Beatty just once a month.

Sales tax question headed to the ballot

Road conditions in the Pahrump Valley are a sore point for many drivers as well as a source of frustration for the crews dedicated to maintaining them but with only so many road dollars to go around, it can be hard to keep pace with the demand.

How historical storytelling is highlighting Tonopah attractions

Preserving history for generations to come while simultaneously boosting tourism – that’s the goal of Tonopah Main Street: Historical Storytelling, a project that’s using the digital age to promote all of the fascinating facts about the bygone days of Tonopah.

Bake sale rakes in $2k for splash pad shade

Pahrump Mother’s Corner is on a mission to see the town of Pahrump build a community splash pad but this group of local parents is doing more than just advocating for the project – they are actively raising money to assist with paying for what they all feel will be a crucial addition to it, a shade structure.

The Veterans Extravaganza – an information hub for former military

The 7th Annual Cles Saunders Memorial Veterans’ Extravaganza took place last week, giving former military service members a chance to learn all about the various resources the area has to offer.

Want to be the county clerk? Applications due March 13

Nye County Clerk Mark Kampf announced his pending resignation last week and the Nye County Commission must now select someone to assume the soon-to-be-vacated office.

Older resident dies in fire

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services, along with the Nevada State Fire Marshal’s office are investigating the exact cause of a structure fire that claimed the life of a man early Wednesday morning.

How has the town fared with Fall Festival? Here’s an overview

When the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce made the decision to divest itself of the Pahrump Fall Festival, the town of Pahrump stepped in to reassume the popular community event.