Umina sworn in as Eureka County Sheriff

The Eureka County Commission met in Crescent Valley on April 1.

Undersheriff Tyler Thomas welcomed Elko County Sheriff Aitor Narvaiza and Sergeant Jim Matthis, Churchill County Sheriff Richard Hickox, Humboldt County Sheriff Angel Cardena and Undersheriff Damon Kuskie, who were present for the swearing-in of Miles Umina as Eureka County Sheriff.

Swearing-in ceremony

The swearing-in ceremony for the Eureka County Sheriff was then held.

Sheriff Umina received applause from all those assembled and said he “is truly humbled by the trust you have placed in me. This isn’t just a title; it’s a responsibility.” He promised to “give it everything I have.” He praised the Sheriff’s Office staff for being the “backbone of public safety” who “inspire me every day.” He said together they “will build on what’s working and fix what isn’t” and pledged “to support you, to listen to you and to work alongside you as we continue to protect and serve Eureka with integrity and professionalism.”

To the citizens of the county, he promised to honor the trust placed in him and to “serve with honesty, integrity, fairness and a deep commitment to making and keeping our community safe.” Umina asked everyone to “stay engaged, to share your concerns and be part of the solution.”

Sheriff’s report

In giving his report to the commissioners, Sheriff Umina noted the recent Sheriff’s Office seizure of 150 grams of methamphetamines. Christina Moore of Oregon was arrested for NRS 453.336 Possession of Schedule I or II Substance and NRS 453.566 Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Joseph Logan of Oregon was arrested for NRS 453.3385 Trafficking in controlled Substances Schedule I or II.

Umina told the commissioners the 150 grams were trafficking levels. 

He added, “Sergeant Collins made an arrest here” in Crescent Valley of someone involved in multiple burglaries who is now currently in custody in Lander County. 

He said the Sheriff’s Office building project is coming along, with them waiting on the secure entrance. Once that’s done, they’ll have an open house. 

MedEx report

In other commission meeting news, Nancy Abrams, EMS Manager for MedEx, related that they helped with EMS services throughout March and will continue through April. Abrams wanted to let the community know that there are no charges for simple assistance. If a patient is transported, insurance is billed, and the billed patient is only responsible for their copay or deductible and no membership is required. 

ECHS scholarship

Commissioner Mike Schoenwald noted there is “a small window for the 

scholarship offered by Eureka County High School,” which includes Crescent Valley. He encouraged anyone interested to get in touch with him.

Clinic

Nik Hirschi, APRN, thanked the commissioners for supporting the clinic. He emphasized that supporting in-person clinics is important with changing federal regulations related to controlled substances that require in-person visits. 

Chairman Rich McKay took the opportunity to clarify that “There isn’t a plan to cut medical services for Crescent Valley. That is not on the agenda and never has been on the agenda.” McKay explained that the Crescent Valley Medical Services Advisory Committee was put in place to determine what medical needs Crescent Valley may have.

McKay said, “William Bee Ririe doesn’t intend to cut the contract because they have the contract in Eureka, nor do the commissioners. It’s not on our agenda.” He said there is no desire to sacrifice Crescent Valley medical care to save money.

Commissioner Schoenwald added that the commission’s next agenda will have a “discussion of the medical transport system so that way we can keep Nik Hirschi here and also help people get back and forth to Elko and Battle Mountain.” 

Nevada legislation

In considering Nevada legislation, County Assessor Mike Mears related there will be a “flurry of activity for the next 10 days” as the April 11 deadline for committee passage approaches. 

He related that SB116, the elected official’s salary bill, is being amended to remove salary tables from the bill and instead will include a COLA catch-up, which “we have not had for the last 8 to 10 years.” 

AGR1, which is a resolution to reset depreciation at a property’s point of sale and reset the property value at the sale price of the property, was tried in 2019 and 2023, and has not been successful in the past, according to Mears. The bill requires a constitutional change that would require passage in the 2025 and 2027 Legislative sessions and would then need to go to a vote of the people in 2028. Mears noted the proposal could lead to adjacent properties with substantial inequities in valuation.  

Mears said ABA1, the Daylight Savings Standard Time bill, is passing out of committee and would put Nevada on standard time year-round. It would go into effect on January 1, 2026.

Mears and Natural Resources Director Jake Tibbitts are also watching AB479, which allows for concurrent use of agrivoltaics and agriculture on lands assessed as agricultural, providing that solar projects on agricultural lands would be an allowable use so long as the agricultural land maintains a $5,000 annual agricultural income. Mears said, “This is a really important bill for us in Eureka County because of Diamond Valley and the interest there is in solar development. It’s been a question for me of what happens to those agricultural lands once we start getting solar arrays installed in Diamond Valley.” 

Chairman McKay asked whether there was any movement on the bill “around net proceeds and the clarification around net proceeds: what’s deductible and what’s not?”

Mears said he hasn’t seen any bills related to changes in net proceeds allocations or allowable deductions.

Mybrary

In considering changes to the Eureka County Library MyBrary contract for fiscal year 2025-2026, Commissioner Marty Plaskett related that adding four and a half hours weekly to the Crescent Valley Library schedule would be a $5,023 increase on top of the 2 percent $5,895 fiscal year contract increase.

Laura Shivers, relief librarian, discussed how increasing library hours will benefit the community. This was echoed by Forest Anderson, who recommended adding Saturday hours to benefit schoolchildren and those who work. 

The commissioners approved amending the contract to add an additional day of library service in Crescent Valley.

Vitality presentation

At the request of the Crescent Valley Medical Services Advisory Committee, Ester Quilici, CEO of Vitality Unlimited, gave a presentation on behavioral health and substance use treatment services available to Eureka County. 

Quilici presented a proposal that would provide on-site mental health services as well as telemedicine to complement the primary care services provided by Hirschi.

Hirschi discussed the challenges of stabilizing mentally challenged individuals with medications that require in-person visits with qualified providers, per federal requirements. He also mentioned his efforts to create treatment relations with mental health providers in the area, including Elko hospital. He was open to working with Vitality and said there is room in the clinic to accommodate additional mental health providers as necessary. 

Quilici said they would be able to provide an APRN able to prescribe meds, but “we do deal with people out of here already who come to Elko and get their medications.” 

Hirschi stressed the potential impact of upcoming changes to telehealth regulations. As the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers notes, “Without Congressional action, key telehealth flexibilities that have been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic will expire on September 30, 2025.”

Holly Davis related the unfortunate state of affairs in which local Crescent Valley residents with mental health challenges have been incarcerated rather than treated and stressed the importance of accessible mental health care in Crescent Valley and of people knowing what services are available. “It seems the only help for people with mental illness around here is jail, and that is not how you help people with mental illness.”

Quilici said the way to help people with mental illness is talk therapy and medication. “We can provide both,” she said, and “manage conditions.” Vitality has been serving Nevada since 1971.  

Vitality’s written proposal for Crescent Valley outlines their providing a telehealth APRN to conduct patient assessments, diagnosis and medication prescription in conjunction with a targeted case manager, therapist, substance use disorder counselor, medical assistant and peer recovery support specialist initially one day per week every other week for individual and/or group therapy, increasing to one day per week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. either through telehealth or in-person care.

The APRN would be expected to see 9 to 15 clients a day, and the other providers would be expected to see 6 to 7 clients per day at a proposed hourly rate of $165 for a 6.5 hour day at a rate of $1,075.50 per day per provider. 

Laura Shivers, vice chair of the CVMSAC, thanked Quilici for coming. “There is a desperate need for mental health in the community and if we can help our community locally, these people will be better served.” 

IT director report

IT Director Misty Rowley related she attended the POOL PACT cybersecurity training, is programming switches, worked on reviewing and updating the county’s Acceptable Use policy and worked on the April newsletter and social media.

Commissioner McKay asked whether Rowley had gotten feedback on the email retention policy from department heads.

Rowley said they have gotten feedback and will work to put the feedback into a technical plan. 

Currently the county keeps emails forever, which Commissioner McKay noted costs money to keep in storage.

Human resources director report

Human Resources Director Tasha Dunlap reported open positions include an EMT position in Eureka, a deputy district attorney, a sheriff’s deputy and an equipment operator in Crescent Valley, as well as volunteer positions. There was a Reasonable Suspicion training for supervisors last week, and there will be a verbal de-escalation training the week of April 7 for the Sheriff’s Office.

There are four candidates under consideration for the Eureka EMT position and at least seven candidates for the Assistant DA position. 

EMS director report

Nicole Cooley, EMS Director, came before the commission to ask for the appointment of a new medical director, Martin Larsen, as the current director, Robert Stefanko, M.D., is retiring. Cooley said there are many changes coming up and “things that the medical director needs to sign off on and be part of.” 

EMT Adam Barron noted a discrepancy between the current scope of practice for EMTs and national standards. He illustrated this with the example of treating allergic reactions, where current medical direction prevents intervention without the patient’s own epinephrine auto-injector, despite national certification permitting it. Barron further stated that the new medical director’s protocols will introduce variances that are projected to expand the abilities of advanced EMTs, even beyond national guidelines.

The commission approved the appointment of the new medical director.

Cooley reported there were surprise ambulance inspections, all of which were passed. Cooley said they are making huge strides in supply management. Upcoming classes the new medical director will have to sign off on start April 28 and May 2. Cooley is limiting class size to 18. 

Public Works report

Raymond Hodson, Assistant Public Works Director, reported several road projects are ongoing, including blading on the JD shoulders and work on the Sadler Road with mowers. The screening plant is set up at Roberts Creek and running. They’ve been repairing cattle guards at 3 Bars and Roberts Creek and doing snow removal. In the north end they’ve been doing snow removal, blading and working on cattle guards on the Frenchie Flats Road. 

Natural Resources report

Hallee Dechambeau, giving the report for the Natural Resources Department, said there are already reports of Mormon crickets hatching. She noted the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published their draft environmental assessments addressing federal involvement in portions of Nevada for the Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program. To comment, the public can visit the APHIS Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket web page. Comments will be accepted until May 4, 2025.

Dechambeau related that NDA has put out a revised Frequently Asked Questions about Mormon crickets and new reporting form. She said NDA has lower funding this year and is receiving no federal funds for Mormon cricket control. Further, NDA can only spray on public lands. The county does not have a budget in place for treatment on private lands, but “private landowner individuals can buy the same chemicals that NDA and other places use.” Dechambeau also warned that the “bait is exactly what it says it is: it is bait, so it will draw crickets” and advised people “to be mindful of where you’re drawing those crickets.”

Dechambeau is working on the Firewise plan as May will be Wildfire Awareness Month, and both Firewise communities in Eureka and Crescent Valley will hold community days. If all goes well with the weather, the Smokey the Bear hot air balloon will be tethered so people can go up for a ride.

Fiscal year budget

The commission was led by County Comptroller Kim Todd in a review of the Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 for filing with the Nevada Department of Taxation on or before April 15, 2025, for the following Eureka County entities: Eureka County, Eureka Town, Crescent Valley Town, Devil’s Gate GID Diamond Valley Rodent District, Diamond Valley Weed District and Eureka Television District.

Approvals

Commissioners approved:

• Expenditures of $724,168.90;
• A proclamation from the Nevada Donor Network, declaring April 2025 as Donate Life Month;
• Order number# 020519 Version 1, from Quest for the replacement of an access point transceiver at Crescent Valley Townhall, in an amount not to exceed $3,467.10 utilizing funds budgeted for capital outlay (010-018-55010-000) in the Technology Support budget and authorizing the IT Director to sign the quote outside of the meeting;
• Order number# OD-159437 from N-Able for a one-year subscription of remote management and monitoring services at an annual cost of $10,767.50;
• Authorization for the IT director to sign outside of the meeting and add and remove additional licenses as needed.
• Out-of-state travel for a Road Department employee/mechanic to travel to Arizona for Power Generation Training December 8-11, 2025.
• A three-fourths-of-an-inch residential water meter and service application to serve APN# 002-016-06 in the Town of Crescent Valley;
• A three-fourths-of-an-inch residential water meter and service application to serve APN# 002-018-15 in the Town of Crescent Valley.
• Sending the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Tentative Budget for filing with the Nevada Department of taxation pursuant to NRS 354.596 on or before April 15, 2025 for the following Eureka County entities: Eureka County, Eureka Town, Crescent Valley Town, Devil’s Gate GID, Diamond Valley Rodent District, Diamond Valley Weed District and Eureka Television District