Nye County CDBG applicants draw sharp public reaction; commissioners direct staff to seek eligibility for select projects

Nye County officials and applicants presented proposed projects for the fiscal‑year 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) round on Sept. 16, and public commenters made sharply divided appeals over which proposals should be prioritized for county submission.

County grant staff said Nevada’s governor’s office of economic development has prioritized infrastructure projects for the funding round. County applicants included a third phase of utility improvements at the Pahrump fairgrounds, replacement of an announcer booth and concession stand at the Tonopah fairgrounds, a Tonopah power‑line upgrade tied to an advanced‑manufacturing proposal, and a nonprofit plan called “Healing Acres” to provide trauma‑informed, faith‑based services and a restorative campus in Pahrump.

Why the meeting mattered: The county has been a frequent applicant for CDBG funds; residents said repeated awards for the fairgrounds have diverted scarce competitive funding from other towns and priorities. Commenters also raised water‑supply concerns and community safety questions about a proposed wellness retreat.

Key presentations and public reaction Darren Tuck, representing the county, asked for a CDBG planning or construction award to tie two wells at the fairgrounds to provide redundancy and more reliable water service for the site. "It's going to tie the two wells together, which is going to provide redundancy and just a more adequate system for the fairgrounds for the future," Tuck said.

Metoda LLC (presented by Vladimir Radovich) sought a planning grant for power‑line upgrades to support an advanced‑manufacturing facility in Tonopah that would build solar‑tracking equipment and create local jobs. Radovich said the firm owns a test site in Tonopah and would hire 30–60 workers depending on orders.

Beatrice Marquez and Rose Mendoza presented “Healing Acres,” a proposal for a multi‑acre restorative property and program in Pahrump offering trauma‑informed therapy, equine therapy, outdoor programming and job training. Marquez described the plan as a “desert sanctuary where individuals and families can heal, grow and connect.”

Speakers for and against funding Several residents urged the commission to stop using CDBG funds repeatedly for the Pahrump fairgrounds complex and civic center, arguing the site already has received multiple phases of grant money and that utility and water supply questions remain. "If we don't need this phase 3 right now because we don't have any idea what's gonna be up there, then put that money to somebody else," said Mary Anne Hollis.

Speakers who supported Tonopah projects urged investment in storage, basic facilities and jobs at the county’s more remote communities. Beth Borysiewicz and Amy Nelson specifically recommended prioritizing Tonopah applications for the announcer booth and the power‑line upgrade.

Board direction After presentations and public comment, commissioners asked staff to submit County‑sponsored applications for projects to the governor’s office for eligibility review but directed that the Healing Acres wellness retreat not be forwarded for the current round. At 8:14 p.m., the board gave staff direction: move forward on county applications (including fairgrounds utilities phase 3, Tonopah announcer/concession upgrades and the Tonopah power‑line planning request) and exclude the Healing Acres proposal from county‑sponsored submission. Commissioners said final funding and project ranking would return to the board after the state determines which applications are eligible.

Speakers and project leads Darren Tuck — Nye County (fairgrounds utilities project) Vladimir Radovich — Metoda LLC (Tonopah power‑line / manufacturing planning grant) Beatrice Marquez and Rose Mendoza — FAM Healing Center (Healing Acres proposal) Stephanie Urga — Nye County grants staff (presenter/facilitator) Public commenters (selected): Tammy Pittman, Mary Anne Hollis, Beth Borysiewicz, Amy Nelson, Tony Holm

Clarifying details Category: fairgrounds phase 3 — detail: project would tie two wells at the fairgrounds to provide redundancy and more reliable water for events and fields (presenter: Darren Tuck). Category: Tonopah announcer/concession — detail: request is to replace existing structures with prefabricated buildings; environmental review not completed (applicant: Tonopah fairgrounds). Category: Metoda manufacturing — detail: applicant seeks planning grant to evaluate power‑line upgrades with utility providers; applicant owns 171 acres in Tonopah and said it would export product internationally (presenter: Vladimir Radovich). Category: Healing Acres — detail: nonprofit mother‑daughter team seeks land acquisition and construction for trauma‑informed services; proposal includes equine therapy and job creation, and would require site acquisition and program funding.

Community relevance Geographies: Pahrump (primary), Tonopah (applicant projects), Round Mountain (withdrawn applications) Impact groups: event organizers, fairgrounds users, jobseekers in Tonopah, residents concerned about water supply and project costs Funding sources discussed: CDBG (Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development), potential planning grant options for environmental review

Meeting context Engagement level: high — multiple applicants and a large public turnout with repeated testimony about water supply, traffic and community impacts Implementation risk: medium to high — projects requiring infrastructure or building acquisition need environmental review, design, and may require additional capital beyond CDBG awards History: County has previously used multiple CDBG rounds for fairgrounds phases 1 and 2; two Round Mountain applications were withdrawn by applicants after community feedback

Provenance Transcript excerpts used as evidence: - Darren Tuck presentation (excerpt): "This is phase 3...it's going to tie the two wells together...provide redundancy and just a more adequate system for the fairgrounds." (transcript time ~01:38:24) - Beatrice Marquez presentation (excerpt): "Healing Acres is more than a retreat. It's a place where nature, hope, and purpose come together." (transcript time ~02:06:21) - Board direction (excerpt): "My motion is direction to staff to move forward with the three county‑sponsored projects and not the Healing Acres proposal" (paraphrased from commissioners' direction at ~02:08:34)

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