EDITOR:
Great investigative reporting done by Susan Cryderman, "Free water just one benefit park enjoyed" printed on Oct. 30. She shows how the county granted free water to a "for profit" company, Nevada Motocross Park, while soaking Sheridan and Jobs Peak's water users with extremely high water fees. Nearly free use of 15 county acres while overcharging other users for short term use of county facilities. And I would expect someone wanting to check noise levels would have known there are sound measurement devices available and not have to rely of subjective humans listening to hear noise.
I had hoped our appointed and elected officials in Douglas County understood the implications when they granted a for profit company such a sweet heart deal. Basic problem is that now all county fees should be re-evaluated to conform to what was given to Steve Brown and his for profit development company. Plus now anyone can come to the county and ask for any county property to use for their own profit. And if the county turns them down all they have to do is to threaten to sue and the county will cave in. No wonder both Carson City and Churchill County turned Steve Brown down on his development.
I'm not against having any sport or event within the county. What I'm against is having the county subsidize it for the benefit of a few. If the county wants to look at some investments like this then we need to look at our demographics. School enrollment is dropping so why focus on children and teens? The population that is increasing is seniors so maybe the county should be investing in them with a new senior center that could benefit about half the population rather than a motocross park that benefits very few.
Here are some questions our appointed and elected officials need to answer us voters:
1. How come three of the seven Douglas County Parks & Recreation Commissioners didn't even bother to attend the October meeting on the motocross park? Wasn't the issue important enough?
2. Considering the number of services being cut back in the county due to the lack of funding, why are the commissioners granting special low fees to Nevada Motocross Park LLC? How can they give free water to Steve Brown when they raise the water fees for the home owners of Sheridan or Job's Peak beyond belief?
3. If motocross is so popular why does the county need to subsidize it with low cost rent and free water? Why can't Nevada Motocross Park LLC be just like any other for profit sport? Let them find their own land and go through all the legal process of getting their park approved.
4. Why does the Chamber consider the Motocross Park is a great way of bringing in new revenues for our local businesses? All they have to do is run the numbers and see why it's a loser as far as adding significant tax monies to Douglas.
Bob Chambers
Gardnerville
