Commissioners table $75,000 Labarthe House renovation after dispute over intended use

Esmeralda County commissioners on Feb. 3 debated but did not approve up to $75,000 in capital spending to renovate the Labarthe House, a structure targeted for Brownfields cleanup and roof replacement. The item was tabled after at least one commissioner said the board should seek more public input on the building’s intended long‑term use.

County Manager Joe Dunn said the funds are needed now to allow contractors to bid on roof replacement and abatement work required by the Brownfields cleanup contractor. "All I'm looking for right now is to get this money approved because we must get this process started," Dunn said.

Commissioner Mary Jane Zakas pushed back on approving the house explicitly as the county manager's office. "I won't vote on it until you take out the part and I'll vote on the $75,000 to fix the roof or do whatever, but you're not going to add that last sentence in there," Zakas said, asking for wider community input about the building’s future uses before formally assigning it as office space.

Other commissioners and staff said the Labarthe House and related capital request had been discussed during public budget workshops and were included on the county’s capital projects list. Auditor Vera Boyer and post‑retirement contractor Susan Dudley said the topic had been included in prior public discussions and the Brownfields application. A motion to proceed was not adopted; the item was tabled for later consideration so the board can clarify scope and outreach.

Next steps: Commissioners asked for additional discussion and possible rewording before committing funds and noted the project’s timing is linked to the Brownfields cleanup schedule.