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Residents Press Commission to Act on Homeless Services as Library Safety Concerns Mount
Summary
Public comment focused on rising homelessness and disruptive behavior at the Pahrump library. County health staff defended local programs and urged permanent transitional housing and wraparound services; commissioners asked staff to coordinate and return with options.
During general public comment at the Oct. 15 Nye County Board of Commissioners meeting, several residents urged more local action on homelessness while others described safety and sanitation problems at the Pahrump library.
Karen Waldman told the board she had seen "urine on the ceiling, poop on the floor and other surfaces" and said the library had approved nearly $25,000 in safety measures after repeated vandalism. "The library should not be a place for a reality TV show," she said, asking who would manage and pay for proposed shelters.
Nye County Health and Human Services and Nevada Outreach clarified the county’s role. Kathy McKenna, director of special projects for Nevada Outreach, said the organizations operate intake and housing‑queue systems and that local surveys show people experiencing homelessness are long‑term local residents: "The last pit count, we had 123," she said, adding the group had surveyed 35 clients and found an average of 10 years living in Nye County and five years homeless.
Rebecca Hayward described using rapid rehousing and CSBG assistance this year to avoid eviction and return to work. "Rapid rehousing helps families get back on their feet and back into homes," she said, urging the commission not to assume people are coming from out of state.
Commissioners and staff acknowledged competing concerns: public safety, limited town services and the county’s budgetary constraints. Several commissioners urged better coordination between government providers and nonprofit groups and asked staff to return with a joint proposal so the county can evaluate options that balance shelter capacity, services and long‑term cost. The county manager and health staff offered to convene stakeholders and present recommended next steps at a future meeting.
The meeting record shows no ordinance or funding decision was made that day; commissioners directed staff to pursue interagency meetings and to report back with concrete program and cost options.
