Civics center funding reallocated

Nye County has been steadily working to develop the Pahrump Fairgrounds and part of the plans have included a new community or civics center on the 427-acre property, a proposal that has drawn criticism from some residents and one that would come with still unknown costs in order to build.

The idea of additional sports fields and amenities at the fairgrounds, on the other hand, is supported by many and now, all of the funding that has previously been earmarked for the community/civics center has been canceled and reallocated toward other recreational development at the fairgrounds.

The reallocation of funding came at the request of Nye County Commissioner Ian Bayne.

“All it does is, it requests. First, it says there will be no money going toward a civics center,” Bayne told his fellow board members and the public at the Tuesday, May 5 commission meeting. “Second… Any of that money that has been previously set aside, contemplated, allocated, reallocated, for a civics center will now be steered toward a vision of baseball fields, a walking path and a biking path.”

The tension among the commissioners has been apparent in recent months, with arguments and accusations of mistrust and the discussion Tuesday afternoon was another disjointed debate as the board attempted to decide upon Bayne’s item. Despite this, everyone seemed to be on board with the concept of reallocating the funding that has been set aside for a new civic/community center but commissioner Debra Strickland had one request of her own first.

“The baseball complex that you have listed, if you would consider making that a multi-purpose field complex instead?” Strickland, who has previously championed the civic/community center project, asked. She noted that the town has five baseball fields and could really use a few new soccer fields.

“If it would please the majority,” Bayne responded. “Nobody wants to yank funding from soccer fields… It would be nice to just simply retain whatever is going on at the fairgrounds now, as far as soccer fields. I’m fine with that and I think everyone is fine with that… I want there to be recreation in this area.”

Nye County Contracts and Grant Manager Stephani Elliott requested that any motion made include that the $2.43 million in Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) dollars for the new community/civics center are being reallocated, noting, “That way it is on the record, I have meeting minutes that that money is now earmarked for multi-purpose fields.”

“And if I never have to hear the words ‘civics center’ again, I’ll be thrilled,” commission chair Ron Boskovich interjected.

However, Elliott noted that the design for the civic/community center, part of a $581,000 site development plan contract awarded early last year, had already been completed and would not be going away.

“That contract was in place, the design was done, the site plan is complete,” Elliott stated.

“Those design plans, we own those now and those also include all of the other acreage there, including the commercial strip up front, which would make nothing but money for Nye County,” Boskovich noted.

Bayne then queried, “Why would the community center not go away if we passed this?”

“Let’s say we were able get SNPLMA [Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act] money,” Strickland explained. “Should this board choose to build a community center down there, we can ask to use SNPLMA money, as an example. So, it’s basically shovel-ready and sitting there.”

“So, you are saying, we don’t do a civics center now but in the event that we get more money and we want a civics center, we can go ahead and do that?” Bayne pressed.

“It’s a community center,” Strickland contradicted before stating, “If [the board] decides at that time.”

Elliott then explained that the county has received a grant specifically for the construction of the new civic/community center but staff is working toward a budget scope change. “We’re looking at that but I cannot just reallocate that for ball fields,” Elliott said.

“Do we just give the money back?” Bayne asked and Elliott replied, “We may have to.”

Boskovich then suggested perhaps shifting that grant toward renovating the Bob Ruud Community Center. Elliott said that may be possible and the county is looking at the option of utilizing it for a portion of the site plan and the building itself but no approvals have been given for that as of yet.

Following public comment and further discussion, Bayne was ready to conclude, making a complicated, multi-part motion.

“I would like to make a motion to freeze all funding and not move forward on any plans, contemplation or otherwise action that moves toward the building, completion or existence of a civics center or community center. This is a blanket prohibition on any funding under the control of this board to go toward a civics center or community center,” Bayne stated. “And to remove all funding and spending toward the existence of a community center or civics center and to move this funding toward fairgrounds activity.

“And to specifically take the $2.43 million in the LATCF fund currently earmarked for a community/civics center and move that to the fairgrounds for fairgrounds activity,” he continued. “And to freeze all current money that may or may not exist, somehow restricted to civic/community center, to be set aside for future action by this board. And to direct staff to restrict all fairgrounds activity… toward the following four things: what is currently being planned, to include soccer fields, with the exception of anything that could be considered a community/civics center; the creation of new baseball fields; the creation of a walking path; and the creation of a biking path. And that is for the fairgrounds.”

Strickland offered a second and the motion passed with all in favor.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com