Federal water lobbyist/road criteria workshop

YERINGTON - The merits of spending $60,000 to get a share of $25 million will be taken up Thursday by Lyon County commissioners.

The Furman Group, with offices in Nevada and Washington, D.C., will present a proposal to act on the county's behalf during the next calendar year to secure funding to be used for local infrastructure and improvements.

The Water Resources Development Act of 1999 established a program to help rural Nevada communities develop water-related projects.

Representing the Furman Group, Harold Furman II noted in a letter to Commissioner David Fulstone that in order for the county to receive funding for a project under this program Congress it must be appropriated during fiscal year 2001, which begins Oct. 1, 2000.

"Under the terms of the WRDA , if Congress appropriates money for a project in Lyon County next year, the county could receive reimbursement for all money previously expended on the project," Furman stated. "Thus, the project you are presently undertaking in the Silver Springs area would be eligible for reimbursement."

In addition to the retainer fee of $60,000, the county would be responsible for reimbursing The Furman Group for all out of pocket expenses, including travel, business related meals, taxi fares, computer related research and related charges.

Other agenda items include:

- A workshop with the Regional Transportation Commission to develop criteria for the inclusion of non-maintained roads within the county maintained road system.

The county has been working for several months to establish a road acceptance policy. The draft policy proposes the number of houses located on a road, number of school-age children served, the length of the road, and adjacent zoning will be taken into consideration for future development and maintenance standards.

The Lyon County Commissioners meet in the Courthouse Annex, 31 S. Main St., Yerington, at 9 a.m. Call 577-5037 (Dayton/Silver Springs) or 463-6531.

What: Lyon County Commission

When: 9 a.m. Thursday

Where: Courthouse Annex, 31 S. Main St., Yerington