Commission has very hot meeting
by Mary Ann McNeiU
Gazette Staff
PAHRUMP--The weather suddenly turned very hot just
after several days of being stormy and downright cold. But
the weather inside the Pahrump Community Center was
hotter than it ever got outside on Tuesday during the Nye
County Commission meeting.
The Pahrump Town Board has the business license and
incorporation, but the commission has regional planning
and the budget and jobs. Lost jobs to be exact. Good jobs
are at such a premium in Nye County that there is a major
controversy whenever the budget issue comes up.
Pat Foster, Nye County treasurer, led a group of elected
officials who were complaining about how unfair Commis-
sioner Cameron McRae's motion of June 3 was. They claim
the motion, that passed 3-2, mandated the elected officials
"must" lay off one person from each of their departments.
The elected officials offered to give up a portion of
several of their existing employee's hours to ensure that no
one employee would have to suffer by being laid off. The
DA offered a total hours amounting to $27,000; the clerk
offered $40,000; the treasurer, $40,000; and the assessor
offered $28,700. Continued on page 8
b
?00ye County burial costs increase
by Patti Babcock
Gazette Staff
The cost of dying gets higher in Nye County July 1, 1997,
under a new fee structure passed unanimously by the county
commissioners at their Tuesday meeting in Pahrurnp. The
amendment to the existing ordinance will equalize fees at all
cemeteries operated by Nye County. The new fee structure is
intended to make the cemeteries self sustaining.
The fee for opening and closing a standard or infant
grave, which also includes a required concrete liner, will be
$650. This is the current fee paid in Pahrump, while the
remainder of the county pays less. A fee of $150 will be
charged for opening and closing a cremation plot.
An additional fee of$150 will be charged for burials on
weekends and holidays. Burials on these days require 48
hours notice and will be done then 0niy if county personnel
are available. All burials must take place during normal
working hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. except the special provisions
for weekends and holidays.
An occupancy fee of $250 will be charged for each plot
used. This will increase the basic burial cost to $900. There
is a fee of $100 to set headstones, plaques or other markers.
The existing provision to allow the spouse of an interred
person to reserve a plot free will remain. Others may reserve
a plot for $250 to be credited against the occupancy fee at the
time of burial.
The amendment contains a provision to allow towns to
assume responsibility for management and maintenance
of their local cemeteries. Pahrump, represented by Town
Board members Steve Rainbolt and Gary Hollis, asked to
have the local cemetery returned to the town. Rainbolt
reminded commissioners the town had given them the land
and asked that full title to the cemetery area be returned to
Pahrump.
Commissioner Cameron McRae amended the amend-
ment to include the provision to allow towns to take title to
local cemeteries where it is lawful for them to do so.
Rainbolt asked for a delay in adoption to consider
Pahrump's request. Carver concurred, but McRae pointed
out there would be no revenue to operate the cemeteries
unless the ordinance was in place by July 1, 1997. He said,
it could be amended, as necessary, at a future date. County
staff was instructed to meet with Rainbolt and Holllis to
discuss details of the cemetery transfer to be presented to the
Pahrump Town Board at their next meeting.
The amendment passed unanimously.
