Nevada Counties ~ Stronger Together: Lyon Commissioners & Department Heads Attended Annual Training

The Lyon County Board of Commissioners and department heads attended the annual Nevada Association of County Officials Training Conference in Fallon this past week.

The training provided covered a variety of topics including:

Public Health in Nevada: The County Role in a Post Covid World

Panelists included:

• Julia Peek, Deputy Administrator, Community Health Services; Nevada Department of Public and Behavioral Health
• Shannon Earnst – Human Services Director, Churchill County
• Amanda Osborne – Elko County Manager
• Dave Solaro – Assistant County Manager, Washoe County

The workshop discussed capacity issues, community needs, along with the changing landscape of public health due to the pandemic.

Funding Transportation and Infrastructure for the Next Generation

Presenter: Sondra Rosenburg – Assistant Director of Planning, Nevada Department of Transportation

Counties manage nearly 80% of the road miles in Nevada, but aging infrastructure and a growing state population have had a significant impact on transportation networks. NDOT provided an update on the Sustainable Transportation Funding Advisory Group and the One Nevada Transportation Plan.

Rebuilding and Recovery, a Look at the Opioid Crisis in Nevada

Presenters:

• Robert Eglet- Senior Partner, Eglet-Adams
• Kevin Schiller – Assistant County Manager, Clark County
• Shayla Holmes, Human Services Director, Lyon County
• Dr. Stephanie Woodard, Nevada Public and Behavioral Health

The panel provided an update on settlement litigation, impacts of the opioid crisis in urban and rural Nevada, and discussion on the uses of settlement dollars and programs for abatement.

Keynote Address- Maintaining and Building Relationships-Tips on Collaboration

Presenter: Arnold Sanow

Telling the County Story- How to build Community Trust through the Media

Presenters:

• Jeff Page – County Manager, Lyon County
• Melissa Blosser – Community Relations/Public Information Manager, Douglas County
• Anne McMillin – Public Information Officer, Churchill County

The panel discussed the importance of interacting with local media, provided best practices in utilizing media and social media to provide valuable information to enhance community trust.

Making Sense of it All, Navigating the Maze of County Revenues

Presenters:

• Tammi Davis – Treasurer, Washoe County
• Josh Foli – Comptroller, Lyon County
• Marilyn Kirkpatrick – Commission Chair, Clark County
• JJ Goicoechea- Commission Chair, Eureka County

The panel provided an overview of county revenue sources and discussed a range of alternatives for bringing dollars into counties.

Regulating Marijuana

Presenters:

• Hope Sullivan – Community Development Director, Carson City-County
• Tyler Klimas – Executive Director, Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board
• Layke Martin – Executive Director, Nevada Dispensary Association
• Dallas Harris – Nevada State Senator

The panel discussed the role of local and state governments in regulating marijuana and provided an update on reforms passed during the 2021 Legislative Session.

Federal Lands Actions

Presenters:

• Justin Barrett – Acting Deputy Field Supervisor, USFWS
• Laura Granier – Partner, Holland and Hart
• Jeremy Drew – Principal, Resource Concepts, Inc.
• Jonathon Shuffield – NACo Legislative Director

The panel discussed a variety of public land actions facing Nevada and how to effectively advocate for our counties and the State

The Conference was held in Fallon, NV September 28 – 30, 2021, and was attended by over 200 county officials from across the state.