he demands on the county manager are varied and extensive. As a result of this, while the county manager’s position has no specifically mandated responsibilities nor duties under State Statute, it is the obligation of the county manager to the best of his ability, to meet the demands placed upon him by the Board of County Commissioners, the public, department heads, administrators, and fellow employees of the county. |
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Naturally, this requires a general knowledge of a vast body of federal, state and local laws, regulations, policies and other materials necessary to be an effective administrator of local government. The successful manager should also possess an ability to interact effectively and easily with various other governmental units, public officials and private citizens. |
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The county manager’s office performs administrative tasks, and continues to be involved in a significant number of other projects and programs:
Additionally, the County Manager serves as the budget officer, and is responsible for ensuring timely preparation and submittal of the county budget. Due to ever-increasing legislative demands this task has become an extremely demanding one, requiring the services of a financial professional. Nevertheless, the county manager is responsible for overseeing the overall formation of the budget ably compiled and prepared by the county comptroller, a county manager appointee. The budget process for the ensuing fiscal year, which starts July 1 and ends June 30 of the following year, begins in late December of the year prior to the one in which the budget is to take effect. The county comptroller and the county manager compile the various revenue sources and analyze these in relation to budgetary demands submitted by the various appointed and elected department heads and other ancillary agencies and organizations which may receive county funding. The budget preparation process includes a number of formal and informal steps including those dictated by Nevada Revised Statutes, which set forth dates for the preparation and submittal of the tentative and final budgets. We must monitor each legislative session for changes in requirements, which may be added within the budgetary process to make the county budget more compliant with financial reporting dictates or to make the document more "user friendly." Other statutory provisions mandate publication in a newspaper with local, general circulation or require mailings with notifications to the public of notices relative to tax rates, public hearing dates and other budgetary matters.
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT The county manager is involved in such varied duties as personnel management; labor contract negotiations; lawsuits involving the county both as plaintiff and defendant; community planning activities; writing technical documents and grants and accepting public speaking engagements. He also provides a sounding board for department heads and other personnel who are seeking advice, guidance and counsel regarding various aspects of county policies and their application to their respective areas of responsibility. The management of county personnel has in recent years become increasingly challenging due to the changing employee/employer labor climate. A staff human resources expert now works in close cooperation with the county manager to ensure that the county is in compliance with the myriad laws, rules and regulations that govern the manner in which we deal with our employees.
WATER RIGHTS ISSUES REPRESENTATION Primary among these tasks, is participation in the ongoing water rights related issues so important to our valley. Since passage of the Reid Bill in 1990 (PL 101-618, otherwise referred to as "the Act"), the county manager has expended an immense amount of time interacting with various federal agencies, primarily with the Department of the Interior, which has been charged with carrying out the provisions of the Act. Impacts to Churchill County water resources from the proposed Truckee River Operating Agreement and the rapid growth and development in nearby counties require constant attention and action. A great deal of the county manager’s time is devoted to coordinating the various efforts of water, legal and environmental experts assembled in order to protect the county’s interests.
The manager’s office continues to be actively involved with labor issues reflecting the changing labor climate as dictated by the federal government, state agencies and court rulings. Revisions to Title Ill of the County Code, known as the Personnel Ordinance is in nearly constant preparation. Labor negotiations with the few associations organized to represent their particular interests, consumes both time and resources of the county. The county manager functions as a conduit to the board of commissioners on matters of labor policy and bargaining issues.
CAPITAL
ACQUISITIONS The county manager prepares and reviews bid specifications for major capital acquisitions and projects. Some examples include purchase of road equipment, equipment for the volunteer fire department, construction and renovation of buildings and numerous other related activities
PLANNING FOR DOMESTIC WATER SYSTEM Construction and planning for expansion of the county’s domestic water system that will serve the urbanizing areas of Churchill County continues. To that end, we have obtained groundwater permits with an early priority date from Dixie Valley, the adjoining groundwater basin east of the Stillwater Range as well as surface water rights, in anticipation of future residential, municipal and industrial requirements.
Yucca Mountain oversight continues to be of concern to our community primarily because we might be located along designated transportation routes, both rail and highway. This requires continuing planning efforts be directed towards addressing potential impacts or benefits resulting from this proposal. The county manager continues to interact with representatives of the other nine Affected Units of Local Governments (AULGs) in order to keep abreast with developments on this front. For more information, visit our Yucca Mountain page.
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