Crescent Valley Town Board News

At the April 16 Crescent Valley Town Advisory Board, Commissioner Mike Schoenwald touched on SB116 and noted Sheriff Miles Umina took a large pay cut to become sheriff, which is what the bill is addressing.

The non-medical emergency transport van for Crescent Valley is progressing, with plans for its operation to be based out of the senior center. The service is anticipated to commence in May, offering rides with a 48-hour advance notice requirement, along with the completion of a waiver and adherence to a code of conduct.

Shawna Adams, community engagement development specialist for Nevada Gold Mines (NGM), and Katie Chakhova, Barrick gold-permitting specialist, gave an update on NGM’s Bullion Hills Project and introduced Caleb Woodcock of Barminco Mining, which is working with NGM on the Goldrush Project.  

Chakhova explained the Bullion Hills underground exploration project will involve two declines exploring a four-mile deposit under Barrick, as well as geotechnical studies and sample collection. Waste rock produced during the decline will be disposed of in the existing Cortez facilities. In addition to a portal pad construction, there will be an access road and power and water lines with an impact to approximately 112 acres adjacent to the existing Cortez mine. The first plan of operations has been submitted to the BLM. The hope is the project will begin in April of 2026, after the permitting process. The exploration is projected to take six years, during which there will still be public access to Mill Canyon. 

Adams related that over 2024, NGM spent $2.9 billion across all the communities they worked with, which includes their social investment, broken into five pillars of social engagement and community development: health, environment, social heritage, economic development and education. They also have a team of Native American Affairs that works with tribal partners.  

Adams touched on NGM’s Heritage Fund, in which NGM matches all donations made by employees to qualified non-profits. She encouraged people to pursue I80 Fund RNDC low-interest loans for small businesses that NGM contributes to.  

Adams visited Crescent Valley Elementary School for “Gold Fever” with the third and fourth graders on April 14. They did a grant to the Eureka County School District of $10,000 for Eureka County book fairs so every child gets their own book. They donated to the Nevada State Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest. NGM also supports the Friends of the Crescent Valley Fire Department, the library and the advisory board. “The list goes on and on,” Adams said. “We’re doing what we can to support all of our communities.” She also mentioned the complaint and grievance program and encouraged anyone who feels an employee is misbehaving to reach out to her.

She introduced Caleb Woodcock of Barminco. Barminco is one of the world’s largest hard-rock underground mining companies. Started in Australia 30 years ago, it now operates in five African countries and Canada. In their first project in the US, they are teaming up with NGM on the Goldrush Project.

Their head office in North America is out of Denver. Barminco, Woodcock said, is dedicated to “developing and maintaining long-term relationships with clients, communities and partners” and has sponsor buckets to contribute to the community and invited applications. They are committed to “putting cash back into the communities that are giving us the opportunity to come to your community.”  

Commissioner Schoenwald asked how many employees they will have.  

Woodcock said they intend to have 72, with a small contingent from Australia presently on the ground.  

Dale Kersey of Truck ’N Water said, “As a contractor, we’ve had no complaints. We work around them all the time.”  

Moving on to events for Crescent Valley Fun Days, Dale Kersey asked about his request for an axe-throwing contest. Christina Tucker said she had to speak with the insurance company and POOL PACT.  

Laura Shivers said the Baptist Church has volunteered to provide the ice cream.

Sheriff Umina reiterated that registration for Donate for Life is still going on through the end of April and encouraged participation. “It’s really important for our entire community.” Umina said. Everything from organs to skin, corneas and bones can be donated.

He turned to new deputy Eric Fleming, who was sworn in on Monday, April 14 and will attend the POST Academy in July.  

Umina said the new male dispatcher will be starting in the next couple of weeks. He said staff is “really hitting it” on traffic both in Crescent Valley and on Eureka’s Main Street. “They’ve started a competition trying to slow people down.”  

“Probably everybody saw us across the street over here a couple of days ago,” the sheriff said. “We were notified by some owners that are leasing a building, and they said that there was a large amount of marijuana at one point in the back of there…And then they came back and said, ‘Well, we buried three bags, three big bags there.’” Deputies dug up the area and located seven big bags, with an estimated weight of 4,500 pounds of processed marijuana.

Umina then turned to the subject of SB116, related to the compensation of elected county officers. He noted elected officials have not had a pay increase in over eight years,” and he himself “took a $21,000 pay cut to take this job. It’s the right thing to do to take care of my team.” SB116 would involve a 26 to 29 percent increase.