Primary Election 2022: Douglas County Commissioner District 4

 Janet Murphy
Address: 264 Elks Point Rd., Zephyr Cove, NV
Occupation: Administrator-Tahoe Douglas District
Age: 60
775-297-5555 jm005868@gmail.com

Record of Service:
Board member - Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District
Nevada Legislature Advisor - Represented Tahoe Township, State Utilities and Fire Departments
Sat on various Boards and committees
Education: College

Platform:
IMU - I am you! We moved and live here for the same reasons the landscape. To escape the city and it’s issues. To raise our children in this Majestic county. We don’t want to become where everyone escaped from. We need to keep this county desirable, this is how we’ll attain strong values.
As people our purpose is to take care of one another, just as the environment takes care of us. That means we need to take care of the environment as well. We need to wake up, stop pointing the finger and looking in the mirror, we blame the generations but we are the examples, with unprecedented weather, pandemic, school shootings and war, if theses aren’t signs or lessons of disappointment or disapproval from something greater, then I don’t know what is.
The problem today is we live in a greedy, selfie , self absorb world. We’ve seen what it does to other countries, destruction. I can’t save the world, but if given the opportunity, I’ll sure try like hell to save Douglas County.
Although, I’ve had proven success in saving Tahoe Douglas District. No other entity wanted it, it hadn’t been maintained in decades and had only $2500. In the bank. I took on the challenge, and upgraded the entire infrastructure, with out debt, while maintaining the lowest rates. The District today has a reserve of 4 million dollars. It’s is considered the most efficient and effective governmental District.
My parents and uncle go back to the sixties, both my Mother and Father retired here and died here in Douglas County. We go back for generations. We are the fabric of the County/Tahoe Township. So do I care what direction this county is taken in, with my deep roots, absolutely. Why do you think I keep running for office and paying for it out of my own pocket. We don’t want PPP (piss poor planning).
Some folks have said I’m like the John Dutton of the Douglas County. Some folks have said I’m like the female version of Trump. I believe it’s the directness.
I’m a realist, a fact/truth finder and believe in doing your homework.
The words I live by are my Mother and Fathers, “do the right thing and you’ll never be wrong”, “we aren’t here to judge”, and “the best gift you can give someone is to make them feel comfortable in your presence”.
Let’s not ever forget.
The greatest gift we have is Life, the second greatest gift is Choice!
IMU!

Wesley (Wes) Rice
Place and Length of residence: On Elks Point Rd in Round Hill at Lake Tahoe since October 1991, 31 years.
Occupation: Vice chairman of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, serving on the Tahoe Regional Planning Commission, Doug. Co./Lake Tahoe Sewer Authority, Tahoe Transportation District, Carson/Truckee H2O Conservancy, Joint Powers/Waste Mgmt., LT Visitor’s Authority, LT/S. Shore Chamber of Commerce., Regional Trans. Comm., Stateline Storm Water Assoc., Tahoe/Douglas Visitors Authority, and the Tahoe Prosperity Board.
Age: 79
Contact Information
Web site: wesrice2022.com
Facebook:  wesrice2022
Email:  tahoerice@charter.net

Wes Rice

Record of Service: I served 28 years with the Pasadena Police Department. I retired in 1990 as a lieutenant in command of the Detective Section. U.S. Navy Reserve 1959 to 1967. Two years Active Duty from 1965 to 1967. In 1992 I was hired by the Douglas County Sheriff Department and ran the patrol/rescue boat (Marine 7) on Lake Tahoe for 15 years. I served 15 years on the Round Hill General Improvement District. I was elected by that board to represent Round Hill on the Douglas County Lake Tahoe Sewer Authority. I also served on the Zephyr Cove Library Board and was on the Tahoe Douglas Fire-safe Council. I was twice elected as chairman of the Douglas County Republican party and have served on the Executive Board for more than 20 years. I was elected as the Chairman of the Nevada Republican Rural Caucus and have served for 14 years. I have been on the State Party Executive board for 14 years. Three times elected to the Republican National Convention. I currently belong to the Navy League, American Legion, and the International Footprint Assoc.

Education: Mt. San Antonio College - Associate Degree. California State University at L.A. Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena. California POST Management School - Management Certificate.

Honors: Citation for Bravery Above and Beyond the Call of Duty, Pasadena P.D. 1968. Letter of Commendation from the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department, 1993. Douglas County Sheriff's Department Reserve Office of the Year, 1993. Douglas County Constable's Office Deputy of the Year, 2011. Cited and recognized for my service while serving on the Board of Directors for to the Navy League, Carson City Chapter.

Platform: If re-elected to the County Commission, my focus will remain to maintain our rural life style while understanding that every county  must have controlled growth to sustain itself.  As District 4 Commissioner, I am the voice for the lake and the foothills knowing that I also be serve those living in the valley.  I work to maintain and continue the safe and rural quality of life that we enjoy here in Douglas County. It is my privilege to have been endorsed by Rep. Mark Amodei, State Sen. James Settlemeyer, Assemblyman Jim Wheeler, Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, Republican National Committeewoman Michele Fiore, Former State Treasurer and Lieutenant Gov. Brian Krolicki, Sheriff Dan Coverley and Constable Paul Gilbert

Natalie Yanish
Address: 425 Andria Drive, Stateline, NV 89449 (physical)
PO Box 1477, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 (USPS and mailing)
Occupation: Communications & Membership Manager, South Lake Tahoe Government Affairs, Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe; REALTOR, California (License CA #01886781) & Nevada (License NV #S.0169627);
Age: 42
Email: natalieyanish@gmail.com
Website: www.natalieyanish.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Elect-Natalie-Yanish-for-Douglas-County-Commissioner-136208183092595/posts/

Record of service:
Kingsbury General Improvement District  
2010-Present
Re-elected Trustee, Chairperson 2014, Secretary-Treasurer 2016, Chairperson 2018, 2021

Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee
Economics & Recreation Representative 2011-2013, Property Rights Representative 2015-2017, Appointed by the US Department of Agriculture

Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities
Executive Committee Member, Secretary-Treasurer 2016, Vice President 2017, President 2018, Public Official of the Year 2021

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Current member Tahoe Living: Housing and Community Revitalization Working Group, Local Government Committee 2010-2014

Clean Tahoe Board of Directors
2012- Present, Past President

Association of REALTORS®
South Tahoe President 2014, Board of Directors 2012- 2015, Past Chair Government Affairs Committee
Voting Director California Association of REALTORS® 2011-2015, 2022, CAR Issues Mobilization PAC Trustee, CAR Land Use and Federal Committee member
Sierra Nevada REALTORS®  Secretary Treasurer 2019, Board of Directors and Government Affairs Committee 2012-2019

Douglas County Nevada
Vacation Home Rental Taskforce Member 2019-2020

Volunteer
Live Violence Free, Christmas Cheer All Year, VDay, Humane Society, Carson Tahoe Health Cancer Resource Center

Education:
●    Bachelor of Arts, Colorado Mesa University: Summa Cum Laude (Honors), 2002
●    Master of Communication Management: University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism, 2015 - concentration in strategic organizational planning and business management. Thesis in stormwater mitigation in the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency jurisdictional basin via community-wide management of Best Management Practices for erosion control

Platform:
Government should be locally governed, and allow businesses to thrive and provide an environment in which local entrepreneurs are not burdened with excessive regulations or taxes. The Tahoe basin land use is regulated by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The outdated policies have created a stranglehold on reinvestment in the aging housing stock and built environment. I will be a leader who brings the Nevada perspective to the TRPA.

I am running on the platform of “ONE COUNTY”. I will represent every Douglas County resident equitably. Having grown up in an agricultural area near a resort area - I bring a perspective that understands that Douglas County is a mix of neighborhoods that rely on both rural living, agriculture, resort, and tourism. Each area of our County is unique.

I will ensure Douglas County policy is fair and unwasteful. I am a fiscal conservative who will get Douglas County back on track with infrastructure improvements and cooperation between
State and Federal agencies to address stormwater issues - both at Lake Tahoe, and in the Carson Valley. I have been an advocate in the community because I feel local jurisdictions should plan for the future while also ensuring that taxpayers and constituents are treated fairly.


Why I am the most qualified candidate:
I am a Douglas County community advocate who is experienced in working with a diverse set of stakeholders in both Nevada and California on a local, state, and federal level. I believe we are ONE COUNTY and everyone should be treated equitably. I will not continue the pattern of over regulation and the inability for County leaders to bring stakeholders together to address their concerns and provide solutions from the bottom up.

As an elected official for almost 12 years at the Kingsbury General Improvement District, I have been a strong supporter of Douglas County and my constituency. I am a proven leader and have a track record of voting for fair utility rates and appropriate planning for future investment in our roads, water system, sewer, and infrastructure for residents and property owners.  In order to comply with new LT2 (Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment) Federal regulations in Stateline Nevada, I served as a Trustee during the planning and execution of relocating and building a new water treatment plant. During the project many challenges were overcome including: negotiating a land swap for existing easements, unanticipated additional construction scope and costs, and public outreach.  

I am a community advocate and volunteer. Most recently I was given the honor of "Elected Official of the Year" by the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, of which, I was the first President from a General Improvement District. In 2015, I advocated for Senate Bill 29, which was passed by the Nevada Legislature and signed into law. Nevada now has functional “home rule”, or the authority for counties to pass ordinances of local concern without state legislation. I did not accomplish this feat alone and this is one example of the collaboration building and collective action that I utilize in policy making.