LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Public should have been informed

Shades of Obamacare!!! We have to pass it to find out what’s in it!! Remember those statements by Nancy Pelosi. Well, our Board of County Commissioners just did the same thing. On Jan. 29 the commissioners held a conference call about taking over the utility at the Spring Mountain racetrack.

This acquisition not only violates NRS 244.157 but the meeting appears to have been conducted in such a manner as to exclude the public. Granted, the conference call was properly posted. But I was told that some of the commissioners themselves were not completely informed as to what was going on until the last minute.

Remember folks, appearances mean everything, sometimes even more than facts. Fact number one is that this meeting was held between the regularly scheduled meetings and from appearances there was no emergency. So why not delay it until the regular meeting on Feb. 4th?

Now I’m told that the resolution that they passed doesn’t even exist. Mr. Kunzi is writing it only now. How can they pass something that doesn’t exist? Also, who is giving them legal advice? Mr. Kunzi? I’m no attorney but even as a layman I can read NRS 244.157 and see in Item 2 that the BoCC must comply with NRS 318 which states if a utility is within 7 miles of the town’s limits permission from the town board must be obtained before the county can acquire a utility.

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the racetrack well within the town limits? I’d like to know who called this conference call, wouldn’t you? Perhaps they should bring this back before the board and have the resolution in hand this time. And the public should be informed as to what future liabilities and costs will be associated with this ‘gift.’ Are the citizens going to be on the hook for attorney’s fees in defending the action since Utilities Inc. thinks that the racetrack is in their tariff area? Won’t the PUC also be involved? What a mess.

Dave Caudle