Open Letter #22

OPEN LETTER #22 TO THE COMMUNITY FROM A TOWN BOARD MEMBER

Here is the Open Letter #22.  Feel free to contact me at twaters@pahrumpnv.org or 775-764-0949. 

As a DISCLAIMER, please understand that I speak ONLY for myself as a Town Board member and will provide accurate information as I see it through my research.  All information is reviewed by several entities to ensure there are no NRS violations. 

My Thoughts and Ideas for TODAY and TOMORROW!!!!!! -
My thoughts on the upcoming election: There are several people I am convinced I will vote for on November 4^th and probably won’t change my mind.  However, I will still listen to the debates to determine if I know what I believe I know.  While I won’t campaign AGAINST any candidates, I will campaign FOR certain candidates.  Here are THREE names that I will encourage everyone to vote FOR and please understand that I vote for PEOPLE, not PARTY affiliation.  Those THREE are: Congressman Steven Horsford, Nye County District Attorney Brian Kunzi, and for Nye County Assessor – Ms. Sheree Stringer.  Please know that there are several other outstanding candidates for several offices that I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend.  These are outstanding citizens who want what is best for our community and our residents.  Feel free to contact me if you want my list of those candidates that I support. 

My thoughts on the August 2014 injunction against the Town:  For those who know me or have discussed this with me, you already know that I was opposed to the injunction.  Why was I opposed to it?  I was opposed to the injunction because each of our County Commissioners could have avoided any court action by simply contacting any Town Board member to inquire about our vote on the contracts.  Since we (the Pahrump Town Board) can no longer vote on a personnel contract that extends beyond January 4, 2015, it is not an “Open Meeting Law” violation to tell you and anybody else that (I learned after the injunction) we had each already rejected the contracts as written and had recommended changes (the same changes recommended by Judge Wanker) to help the Town of Pahrump and the affected staff.  I have no problem with DA Kunzi who followed the direction of the County Commissioners or with Judge Wanker who rendered the court’s decision.  Yes, I wish it had been a different decision but the Commissioners could have prevented this entire event by simply communicating with any member of the Pahrump Town Board. 

My thoughts and ideas about the Town Governance in January 2015:  For the 50.8% of the voters who voted to “discontinue” the elected Town Board, you get what you voted for.  For the 49.2% who voted to retain your elected Town Board, I ask only that you respect the “will of the majority” and give the Commissioners a chance.  I will give them every opportunity to be successful because, if they are successful, the Town of Pahrump is successful. 

It is my hope that the commissioners will find a way to utilize the background and expertise of the current Town Manager, Ms. Susan Holecheck, as a permanent part of the transition to retain all that is positive about the Town.  I also hope the current employees with their vast expertise are retained because, if they leave, they can’t be replaced at a later date.  I would like to “see a plan” that the Commissioners have for the governance of Pahrump since none of the five have any experience in running a town as a mayor or as a manager.  Remember too that the Town Budget is effective through June 30, 2015 so no “tampering” with the budget is required. 

It is also my hope that no one at the county level falls into the trap of considering Mr. Dave Richards in any position of authority within the Town of Pahrump.  I did a background check on him with his former employer in Alaska when he wanted to replace Bill Kohbarger as Town Manager.  They stated, “We didn’t fire him because we didn’t want to give him any severance pay.  We allowed his contract to expire and would never rehire him and feel sympathy for any locality that considers him for any management position.”  In my dealings with Mr. Richards, I was positively impressed with his rhetoric until I learned that there is no substance there, only rhetoric.  He displayed his emotional instability when he encouraged and participated in the charge to “arrest the Town Board” bringing shame to the Town of Pahrump from around the world.  I personally received emails from across the United Sates as well as Germany, England, Korea, and Japan about that negative incident.  Let’s move forward and work together to make Pahrump a positive place to live. 

Questions??  Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments about this letter or any of my comments. 

Dr. Tom Waters
Pahrump Town Board
twaters@pahrumpnv.org
775-764-0949

Open Letter #19

OPEN LETTER #19 TO THE COMMUNITY FROM A TOWN BOARD MEMBER

Here is the Open Letter #19.  Feel free to contact me at twaters@pahrumpnv.org or 775-764-0949. 

As a DISCLAIMER, please understand that I speak ONLY for myself as a Town Board member and will provide accurate information as I see it through my research.  All information is reviewed by several entities to ensure there are no NRS violations. 

Ignorance, or Stupidity !!!!!! -
I continually read or hear comments made by Dan Schinhofen that beg for a response.  I chose to wait until after the Nevada Supreme Court Decision on the fate of the “elected” Town Board to allow it to sink in for the electorate of Pahrump.  He continually stated that we (the Town Board) wanted to overturn the vote of the people.  It is clear to anyone who can read that the court case was because the Town believed the commissioners did not follow Nevada Law.  The Nevada Supreme Court has resolved that matter.  Although I like Dan as a person, I truly believe he has exhausted his limits and capability as a Nye County Commissioner.  When he makes false, misleading, or idiotic statements, he reminds me of people who state, “Don’t confuse me with the facts because my mind is already made up.” 

It is possible that he is merely confused but, when he continues to spout misinformation in his column or in front of an audience, it transcends “confused” into the real level of stupidity or the “Ramblings of a Madman.”  I am pleased that he now says he supports the veterans and plans to use the dollars allocated for veterans to support county veteran programs.  Unfortunately, this idea had to be pushed upon him by veterans and another commissioner. 

As an example, Dan Schinhofen continues to talk about “My Opponent” as if he doesn’t realize that he has several opponents who wish to unseat him for District 5.  I understand that he considers Bill Dolan his only “real” opponent as he continues to insist that Bill is in favor of Incorporation of the Town of Pahrump when Bill has stated repeatedly that he is neither “for” or “against” Incorporation.  Dan also allows others to say (and Dan supports) that Bill Dolan went with Bill Kohbarger and Vicky Parker to see former State Senator McGinnis.  The FACT remains that Bill Dolan was on the East Coast on vacation when the trip occurred.  There were only two people from Pahrump on the trip.  Another person from Reno joined them there.  However, Dan (or his supporters) does not need facts, truth, or reality in order to make a statement. 

He also states that the “Town raised taxes three times while the County did not.”  First, it was TWO times that the “Tax Rate” for Pahrump was raised and, according to Nevada Tax Laws, the tax rate and the tax increases were separated many years ago.  The state of Nevada has several formulas to compute taxes.  For a commissioner not to know that fact in Nevada History also means he does not know Nevada Law or the Nevada tax codes.  And, the Town of Pahrump is not at the “maximum cap” for the tax rate while Nye County reached the maximum cap a long time ago.  The county couldn’t raise the tax rate again even if they wanted to because it would violate Nevada Law.  Listen to the auditor who proclaims year after year that the County of Nye has serious fiscal problems.  Also, the fact that he has listed on his Nevada Financial Disclosure Statement for 2014 that he owes $5,000 or more to the IRS and to the State of Nevada Tax, why would we want Dan Schinhofen to continue to mis-manage the funds of Nye County? 

His ramblings do not end there if you read his last column in the May 15^th Mirror.  So, read his comments and then ask yourself the question, “Is it ignorance, stupidity, or merely the Ramblings of a Madman??  

Questions??  Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments about this letter. 

Dr. Tom Waters
Pahrump Town Board
twaters@pahrumpnv.org
775-764-0949