Commission changes fees for Ruud center

Nye Commissioners amended fee structures to allow not-for-profit organizations to use the Bob Ruud Community Center, located on Basin Road in Pahrump, without charge at a meeting held on April 7.

Though a security deposit will still be required and a fee structure is in place for other groups and organizations, Commissioner Donna Cox condemned county policy that charges users an additional fee for dispatch of the Sheriff’s Office to the building during an event.

“I don’t think that language should be in there,” she said.

Cox criticized assessment of the additional fee to be used as county revenue, indicating that sheriff’s deputies are paid a salary while on duty and responding to calls is part of their job.

“This is not supposed to be a profit-making situation,” she said.

The fee structure amendment removed the clause that allowed an additional fee to be assessed for Sheriff’s Office response to the building during an event.

Members of the public also chimed in with requests for reevaluation of proposed budget cuts which would affect services such as senior nutrition, animal control, juvenile probation and the Tonopah jail.

One resident called for other, less needed programs to be placed “on the same chopping block.”

Several members of the public called for public employees’ salaries and benefits to be reduced.

Accusations flew that commissioners are acting in a fiscally irresponsible manner by allowing overspending.

Commissioner Dan Schinhofen told those gathered that Assembly Bill 280 is making its way through the legislature which would allow the county to opt out of collective bargaining contracts. That, in turn, he said, would allow the board to cut salaries and provide more flexibility to balance the county budget.

In other business:

■ A re-organized county hospital district plan was presented to the commission. Commission Chairperson Lorinda Wichman directed that a draft ordinance be presented at the next board meeting which includes provisions for exemptions for Amargosa Valley and Beatty, modification of district boundaries, tax structure support and tax override options.

■ The liquor license suspension for Carmelo’s Bistro Pizza-Fine Pasta located on Highway 372 in Pahrump was conditionally rescinded.

■ The next meeting of the Nye County Commission will be held on April 21 at 10 a.m. at the Commission Chambers located at 2100 E. Walt Williams Dr., Pahrump.