YERINGTON -- Potential ballot questions addressing a strained road budget and unincorporation of the Dayton, Mound House and Mark Twain area will be considered today by Lyon County commissioners.
With the regularly scheduled commissioner meeting cancelled because of the July 4 holiday, the special meeting is necessary if a July 15 deadline of getting questions on the ballot is to be met.
Projected road fund revenues for the 2002-2003 fiscal year are estimated at $2.5 million. The initial road fund budget of more than $6 million has been whittled, but Public Works Director Chuck Swanson says $4.3 million is needed just to maintain the present level of services.
Commissioners have discussed designating an increasing in the sales tax for the road budget and establishing a countywide assessment district for road improvements.
Commissioner LeRoy Goodman, a Fernley resident, requested the issue of a possible advisory question being placed on the ballot regarding the formation of an unincorporated town in the Dayton, Mound House and Mark Twain area.
The Dayton Advisory Council has discussed the pros and cons of unincorporation for the past several years, but with little enthusiasm being shown by residents for the move, no request has been made to county officials to move forward. Advisory Council member Dee Scott said committee discussions of the issue expressed concern over Dayton's lack of a large sales tax base.
"Without a sales tax base, we don't know where the money is coming from to take over things we would need to," he said.
Mound House Advisory Council Chairman Chuck Roberts said unincorporation has never been a topic of discussion in his 3- 1/2 years on the board.
"This is the first I have heard about it in this light. I have never been approached about the subject by anyone from Mound House," Roberts said upon hearing of the special meeting topic.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Lyon County commissioners
WHERE: Administrative Complex, 27 S. Main Street, Yerington
WHEN: 1 p.m.
FOR INFORMATION: Call 577-5037 (Dayton/Silver Springs) or 463-6531.
