Douglas County Newsletter - Nov 2012

D OUGLAS C OUNTY , N EVADA

N EWS Y OU C AN U SE V OLUME 2, I SSUE 11

N OVEMBER , 2012

R ESIDENTS I NVITED TO T AKE B UDGET C HALLENGE How would you invest taxpayer funds in the programs and services that are most important to you? That is the question being asked to Douglas County residents in a new online tool that seeks to engage the public in important community issues.

The County is focused on long range financial management and reshaping the budget process from across the board cuts to an open dialogue with residents about investing taxpayer funds in the programs and services that have the greatest value to the community.

The new tool called Open Douglas County – Budget Challenge has been estab- Residents can now provide feedback on County budget priorities via a new online exercise lished to allow residents to provide feedback on the on the County’s website valuable insight from the County’s strategic prioridouglascountynv.gov until community before the anties. The new online December 3rd and will pro- nual budget process begins. budget challenge is available vide decision makers with (Continued on page 3)

B UDGET C HALLENGE P UBLIC W ORKSHOPS : Residents have until December 3rd to complete the Budget Challenge.

Go to www.douglascountynv.gov and select “Budget Challenge” on the left side of the screen.

Public workshops were held November 13th at Topaz Lake VFD and November 14th at the Johnson Lane VFD. Residents that do not have internet access or wish to learn more about this process are welcome to attend additional workshops and complete the online or paper version of the budget challenge:  November 28th, 3:30-6:30pm at the Tahoe Transportation Center, 169 Hwy 50  November 29th, 3:30-6:30pm at the Douglas County Library, 1625 Library Lane The Board of Commissioners will meet on December 10th, 1:00pm at the Emergency Operations Center, 1694 County Road to discuss the results of the online tool and next steps for priority based budgeting.

I NSIDE

FEMA R EMAPPING P ROCESS C OULD T AKE T WO Y EARS In a conference call with County officials on November 14th, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials stated that local residents would need to wait nearly two years before inaccurate flood maps could be corrected.

An independent panel of scientific experts ruled in July that flood maps imposed by the FEMA in 2010 are scientifically and technically inaccurate. To date, FEMA officials have rejected the County’s request for immediate relief and

reimbursement for local residents, including temporarily returning to the 1999 maps, pursuing a reasonable timeline for remapping and accessing National Flood Insurance Program funds for immediate reimburse(Continued on page 3)

THIS ISSUE :

A IRPORT E N-

2

TRANCE

Airport TAxiway

2

O NLINE B UDGET 3 C HALLENGE ( CONT )

FEMA FAQ S

( CONT )

3 4

N EWS Y OU C AN U SE

P AGE 2

N EW A IRPORT E NTRANCE W ELCOMES V ISITORS “T HE PROJECT REFLECTS THE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES OF THE A IRPORT WITH NEW SIGNAGE , LANDSCAPING , GREEN SPACE AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS .”

In a continuous effort to build upon its international reputation as one of the top locations in the world for soaring, the Minden-Tahoe Airport has rolled out the welcome mat and unveiled a new entrance. The Airport entrance and beautification project reflects the high quality services and amenities of the facility with new signage, landscaping, green space and other improvements. The New signage, landscaping, green space and other improvements work was completed by were recently completed at the Minden-Tahoe Airport Genoa Trees, a local company, and funded with fees from Airport businesses, ten- landscaping improvements at and tenants, the quality of ants and visitors. The addithe entrance to the Airport Airport staff, and the focus on tional green space and landcreate a greater sense of place, soaring, sport aviation and scaping at the southeast corand provide a buffer from corporate flying is what ner of Airport Road and Hey- parking and buildings. While makes the Airport world bourne Road will allow for the aesthetic improvements to class. small gatherings and events. the Airport are great, the viAdditionally, the signage and brancy of Airport businesses

A IRPORT T AXIWAY R EPAIR C OMPLETE “T HE M INDEN T AHOE A IRPORT IS THE ONLY GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT IN N EVADA THAT IS FINANCIALLY SELF - SUFFICIENT AND NO LOCAL TAXES PAY TO OPERATE OR MAINTAIN THE A IRPORT .”

The Minden-Tahoe Airport has completed repairs toTaxiway Alpha, the primary taxiway at the Airport that had significantly deteriorated, with $1.3 million in federal grant funds. The Airport was notified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in June and August that it would receive three separate grants to rehabilitate the taxiway at the Airport. The grants awarded in 2012 represent the first federal funds the Airport has received since the passage of the new ordinance in 2010. The Airport has utilized local Douglas County and northern Nevada companies to project. The FAA

grant funds require a local match of 6.25 percent or a total of $89,803 for the grants awarded in 2012. The Minden-Tahoe Airport is the only general aviation Taxiway Alpha repairs are now complete at the Minden-Tahoe Airport thanks to $1.3 airport in Nemillion in federal funds for 2012 vada that is financially self-sufficient and no the existing weight bearing local taxes pay to operate or restrictions for aircraft operamaintain the Airport. The tions, consistent with the local match is from Airport Airport Use Ordinance and funds generated by fees the community’s desire to charged to Airport users, not maintain the rural character local taxpayers. Additionally, of Douglas County. no modifications were made to

V OLUME 2, I SSUE 11

P AGE 3

O NLINE T OOL B RINGS B UDGET

TO

R ESIDENTS ( CONT )

Vitality Managed Growth and Development Preservation of Natural Environment, ReThe results from the budget challenge, as well as four pub- sources and Cultural Heritage lic workshops throughout the Reliable, Well-Maintained community, will be presented Infrastructure Safe Community at a workshop of the Board of Financial Stability/Governance County Commissioners on To access the Budget December 10th. The online Challenge Forum, go to budget challenge allows the www.douglascountynv.gov public to distribute a fictitious and select “Budget Challenge” $500 to the six Community on the left side of the screen.

Results (priorities) that the County strives to provide for You can select a short or long version of the budget challenge the community, as identified through public strategic plan- to complete. Finally a brief ning processes. The six Com- on-line registration asks for munity Results are: Economic your name, email address and physical address. Your regis(Continued from page 1)

tration information is secure and will not be shared with any outside party. The physical address will allow responses from geographic areas within the County to be viewed, but the County and public will not be able to see the names of individual participants. The County is also hosting four public workshops throughout the community to allow residents an opportunity to learn more about priority based budgeting and the online budget challenge tool.

“T HE C OUNTY IS FOCUSED ON LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND RESHAPING THE BUDGET PROCESS TO AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT INVESTING TAXPAYER FUNDS IN THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT HAVE THE GREATEST VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY .”

FEMA P ROCESS C OULD T AKE T WO Y EARS ( CONT ) (Continued from page 1)

ment. Douglas County is the first local community in the country to successfully appeal FEMA flood maps for multiple flooding sources through the Scientific Resolution Panel (Panel) process established by FEMA. Since the historic Panel ruling on July 16, 2012, County officials have repeatedly reached out to FEMA to request that local residents be removed from the flood areas and reimbursed for the cost of insurance imposed by FEMA since January 2010, and that costs incurred by local taxpayers to remap the flood areas in question be reimbursed. The result of FEMA’s refusal to act on the Panel ruling is that the inaccurate flood maps will remain in place, local residents will continue to pay

excessive flood insurance costs, and local taxpayers will shoulder the burden for remapping the areas in question.

The Panel, an objective group of scientific and technical experts, stated in its report that it “recommends acceptance of the community protest” after finding that FEMA’s data and analysis did not meet the national standards for flood mapping defined in FEMA’s own guidelines, including at least six key scientific and technical areas. Douglas County appealed the base flood elevations and base flood depths proposed by FEMA for multiple flooding sources in the Carson Valley as shown on the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map, dated April 4, 2008. After the County’s efforts to work collaboratively with FEMA officials failed to resolve the appeal, on Septem-

ber 17, 2009, Douglas County filed suit against FEMA in U.S. District Court alleging that FEMA’s data and analyses were scientifically or technically incorrect. On October 28, 2011, the parties entered into a Settlement Agreement calling for adjudication of the appeal by a Scientific Resolution Panel as described in FEMA Procedure Memorandum 58. On July 16, 2012, the Panel ruled in favor of Douglas County stating in its report “FEMA’s data does not satisfy NFIP mapping standards defined in FEMA’s Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners (NFIP standards) and must be revisited.” FEMA Associate Administrator David Miller is supposed to issue a final decision on the issue and process by the end of November.

“T O DATE , FEMA HAS REFUSED THE C OUNTY ’ S REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS , DESPITE AN INDEPENDENT PANEL OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS WHO AGREED WITH THE C OUNTY ’ S APPEAL .”

Douglas County Strategic Plan Vision A community to match the scenery!

D OUGLAS C OUNTY , N EVADA Thank you for taking the time to review the information in our newsletter. We value your opinion - if you have any questions or suggestions to improve the services and information we provide to you, please contact us.

Steve Mokrohisky Douglas County Manager

Mission Working together with integrity and accountability, the Douglas County team is dedicated to providing essential and cost-effective public services fostering a safe, healthy, scenic, and vibrant community for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors.

Values Integrity - Accountability - Customer Service - Leadership - Communication - Teamwork

County Manager’s Office 1594 Esmeralda Ave. PO Box 218 Minden, NV 89423

Priorities Financial Stability

Phone: 775-782-9821 Fax: 775-782-6255 E-mail: countymanager@co.douglas.nv.us

Public Safety Economic Vitality Infrastructure

WWW.DOUGLASCOUNTYNV.GOV

Natural Environment, Resources and Cultural Heritage Manage Growth and Change

F REQUENTLY A SKED Q UESTIONS Q: Will the proposed outdoor amphitheater at CVI go before the County Commission, and will the public be able to comment on its impact?

A: The outdoor events area proposed by the Carson Valley Inn is an allowed accessory use to the existing resort facility and does not require a hearing by the Board. An administrative staff review is required and currently underway.

The review by the County will consider limited hours for events. In terms of traffic, the events will

occur during non-peak traffic hours, which includes after 6pm and on weekends. Anyone with comments or questions on the project should contact Dirk Goering in Community Development at (775) 782-6212.

plans for review to the county.

The gas station is proposed to be 3,200 square feet on approximately a one acre parcel at the intersection of hwy 395 and Grant.

Q: We’ve heard there is a gas station going in at the new Walmart. Can you confirm that?

Q: We’ve heard there’s a new farm equipment store coming to the Minden Gateway. Can you confirm anything about that?

A: The County has had preliminary discussions with several businesses, one of which is a gas station, for development near the new Walmart. The gas station has submitted

A: The County has also received plans for a new tractor supply store at the Minden Gateway, south of the Maverick gas station that is currently under construction.