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Residents urge Ely council to support rPlus project; critic blasts Nevada Northern Railway Foundation
Summary
Two public commenters urged the council to support the rPlus project for its projected tax benefits while another attendee criticized the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation’s litigation and called for greater transparency.
At the start of the Nov. 14 meeting, members of the public urged the Ely City Council to consider the economic implications of a proposed rPlus project and criticized the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation’s role in local disputes.
Longtime Ely business owner and resident Dale Derbidge told the council the rPlus project could “increase the County tax base by four times its current value” and projected it would raise the county’s property tax collection by “over $12 million annually,” which would flow to local governments and services, including the city’s CTX tax share, the school district, hospital, fire departments and EMS. “If you vote to shut down the rPlus project, do you have any plans for the future to replace this income?” Derbidge asked, urging council members to weigh the broader fiscal benefits and to negotiate with the county on housing set-asides if the project proceeds.
Also speaking during public comment, George Chachas urged denial of agenda item 10B-13 and sharply criticized the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation for its litigation and fundraising practices that he said obstruct industry and lack public accountability. “The Nevada Northern Railroad Foundation needs to stop litigating and throwing roadblocks in front of any potential industrial growth in our City and County,” Chachas said, adding that the Foundation “forgets where they are in the food chain” and that taxpayers do not know how the Foundation spends its funds.
Why it matters: Public comments framed the rPlus proposal as a significant potential revenue source for local services and infrastructure, while raising concerns about the impact of the Foundation’s litigation and governance. Council members did not take action on rPlus at the Nov. 14 meeting; the City Attorney had requested that agenda item 13 be removed for further review earlier in the meeting.
What’s next: Item 13 was removed from the agenda for attorney review; any future council action on rPlus would be scheduled after additional legal review and any required agenda notice.
