County to pay for transportation with labor instead of cash

The Nye County Commission will consider partially funding a senior transportation system with manpower and office space instead of dollars at a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.

The agenda item calls for the Commission to apply for a competitive grant through the Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division to provide senior transportation in Amargosa Valley, Beatty, Gabbs, Smoky Valley and Tonopah. The matching grant, calls for Nye County to contribute $22,472 to the overall cost of $127,325.

It is proposed to use a Nevada Department of Transportation grant, other reimbursements and “in-kind” services, including office space. County Manager Pam Webster is seeking authorization to apply for a second grant of $111,920 through the Federal Transit Administration for operating expenses, fuel costs and salary package for a transportation dispatcher. Of that amount, $58,480 must be contributed from other sources.

Funds will not be provided by Nye County. Instead, it is proposed that Nye County personnel provide vehicle maintenance in place of money, as “in-kind” services. Though the grant funds being sought are for senior transportation, the in-kind services requested were addressed by the county in January by the NyE Communities Coalition Transportation Committee when a regional transit system was proposed.

Commissioner Dan Schinhofen disputed the need for a public transit system at that time and though the county gave a cautious nod of support and approval to the NyECC committee to apply for the grant, there was detailed discussion of the dollar value of “in-kind” services.

Commissioner Frank Carbone, at the January meeting, told the board members that in-kind services have a dollar value associated with them such as the hourly wage paid by the county to an employee to perform services under the terms of the grant.

Likewise, Carbone said, any labor for in-kind services will be pulling an employee away from assigned duties, which translates into a cost to the county.

Other, non-inclusive items scheduled to be reviewed by the County Commission include: The issuance of a fireworks display permit to Pyritz Pyrotechnics Group.

The purchase of fireworks for the town of Tonopah.

The introduction of an amendment to a resolution governing the donation of property to the county.

Support of Amargosa Valley’s lease of Bureau of Land Management land to test unmanned aircraft systems.

The transfer of animal shelters from the county to towns.

The Nye County Commission will meet at Commissioner Chambers, 101 Radar Road in Tonopah on Tuesday at 10 a.m.