County commissioners provide leadership, develop policies

Douglas County Community Development director Mitchell Dion and board of Douglas County commissioners vice chairman Doug Johnson were guests at the Topaz Ranch Estates General Improvement District meeting, Jan. 11.

The board of commissioners is the governing, legislative body for Douglas County. The five members of the board are elected at large, by district. Commissioners serve four-year overlapping terms and receive limited compensation for their service to the community. Each year, the board selects one of its members to serve as chairman and preside over public meetings.

The duties of the commissioners are to provide county leadership, develop policies, guiding the county in the delivery of services and achieving community goals, encourage resident awareness and involvement and maintain financial stability by overseeing the county budget process and allocation, while managing growth and change consistent with the county's master plan. The members of the board of commissioners are David Brady, Timothy Smith, Kelly Kite, James Baushke and Doug Johnson.

To reach the county office, call 782-9821, or call Johnson at 790-3195 or e-mail dougjohnson@prodigy.net

There is a lot of interest in preparing for development in the Topaz area in the south part of Douglas County. Med Direct Urgent Care is now open in Holbrook Junction and Topaz Ranch Medical Clinic is being built in TRE. Roads are under construction on a 40-acre site, outside the GID area, that will have eight 5-acre parcels west of Pearl, and a new subdivision is going in at Holbrook Highlands.

GID District Operations Manager Ole Chavez gave the TRE Water Company and Road reports as follows:

"The water department is still slow due to weather. The thing I would like to include in this report is commercial development in TRE. We have one development going in across from our GID office and I'm sure many more to follow. My main concern as water operator is that we cannot continue to serve all these commercial developments along Carter and Albite with the 4-inch main that currently exists in these particular areas. My suggestion is to include these areas in the next phase of improvements and possibly make it a priority one. Without the necessary increase in pipe size and type it will soon become a problem for all. We have had a few more "no water calls" turning out to be frozen pipes again. One more thing I would like to add is we had to go to the estimate billing this past month because of the snowfall. It was just too difficult to get to all the meter boxes. Adjustments will be made as we are able to access the meter pits."

"Road repairs are slow due to weather. We have had some odd weather these past few weeks and it has kept the road department very busy. We are still repairing the damage caused by all the rain and snow. The main problem has been too much water at once. There are many areas where we either need to replace an undersized culvert, install a culvert or add an additional one. A detailed report on addresses and locations is in the works now for these problem areas. The snowfall was moderate and we were right on top of removal and deicing. The guide markers we installed last month really helped out this past snowstorm no vehicles were stuck, lost, or destroyed. One more thing I would like to add is possibly hiring a subcontractor with an excavator to clean out our main flood channels here soon," Chavez reported.

At this meeting Chairman Jerry Siebler requested to step down as chairman. The board members now are: Lee Van Brunt, chairman; Jerry Siebler, vice chairman; Matt Torley, operations manager; Betty Rebiejo, treasurer; and Ron Carter, secretary. There will be a trustee vacancy on the GID board in May. A trustee to the board must be a registered voter and live in this precinct. For more information call Lee Van Brunt, chairman, 266-4089.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding development in the Topaz area please call Douglas County Community Development at 782-6200.

The public is invited to the monthly board meeting of the Topaz Ranch Estates General Improvement District that takes place at 7 p.m., on the second Wednesday of the month at the TRE Community Center. The board would like to hear your concerns to better serve the community. The agenda for the meeting is posted by 9 a.m., on the third working day before the meeting at the TRE Water Company, Nevada Trading Company, Maggie's Place and the South County Sheriff's Substation. The next meeting will be Feb. 8.

n A free seminar for seniors on retirement distribution strategies will take place10:30 a.m., Jan. 26 at the Promenade on the River, 525 Court Street, Reno. The seminar is sponsored by Matt Fiamengo of Fiamengo Insurance Agency. Call 881-2027 for reservations.

n Douglas County Library winter reading program for adults begins Monday through March 3. Readers must be 18 years or older and must read at least one book. Each will receive a prize after reading one book and will be entered into the grand prize drawing. Jan. 27 will be a group discussion of mystery sub-genres. Feb. 10, is Murder Mystery night. The award ceremony and costume party will be on March 3. Entry forms are available at the Minden branch 1625 Library Lane, and the Lake Tahoe branch, located at 233 Warrior Way in Zephyr Cove. For more information, call the library at 782-9841.

Friends of the Douglas County Public Library invite you to their annual membership reception on Jan. 28 from 11 a.m. until noon at the Minden Library. Find out more about the friends who support the Minden and Zephyr Cove Libraries through donations for projects such as the Summer Reading Program, Teen Game Night and the Adult Winter Reading Program. Call the Minden library at 782-9841.

n Carolyn Purkiss can be reached at 266-9482 or by e-mail at k6dug1@juno.com