Development Authority Gives Report

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The regular meeting of the Lincoln County Regional Development Authority was held Aug. 15.

Officers for the next term were elected and include Dave Hurd as chairman and Jay Schofield as vice chairman. The meeting was presided over by Executive Director Dr. Mike Baughman.

Members approved the budget for the fiscal year 2016-2017 in the amount of $193,320.05. Combined with the opening fund balance, total revenues through Aug. 6, 2016 was listed at $104,020.05.

Baughman spoke about the Memorandum of Agreement between the LCRDA and the Lincoln County Board of County Commissioners, which anticipates a monthly influx of $2,500 from the county to LCRDA. The motion was approved by all in attendance.

In other business, the board reviewed and approved a letter to be sent to Congressman Cresent Hardy expressing appreciation for his work on securing passage of the Eastern Nevada Land Improvement Act (HR 1815) out of the House of Representatives. Also to Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) requesting that House Bill 1815 be scheduled for action during the next business meeting of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Discussion was held regarding a meeting that took place in mid-June with representatives of Lincoln County Telephone about the need for a new telecommunications tower in Caliente to improve telecommunications services. At the same meeting, County Commissioner Varlin Higbee noted a water line from Alamo serving the Alamo Airport was needed to provide fire protection and culinary water to support the facility and activities of a drone company interested in locating its testing activities in Alamo.

Another round of Community Block Development Grant money, in the amount of $350,000 was soon to be made available. Baughman said he had informed Higbee and Lincoln County Water District Manager Wade Poulson of possibly making application, as well as the possibility of funding both the telecommunications tower and Alamo Airport projects.
Hurd noted the City of Caliente might also be submitting an application to CBDG for funding for downtown
improvements.

Baughman reported he had been in contact with Patrick Kell of the Intermountain Bicycle Association who told him the Nevada Commission on Tourism grant program ?would not be a good fit for funding the planning of additional bike trails and that a related grant application was not going to be developed.?

Baughman also reported he was continuing to work with companies such as E2G; Estuary Capital Partners; American Biochar; AEG Coalswitch; Future Metrics; Encompass Biotech; and Enerparc, among other industrial leads for wood products and biomass technologies.

Enerparc, Baughman said, is also interested in identifying possible buyers for the electrical energy to be generated from their proposed solar project at Rachel. Coyote Springs Investments has also expressed interest in a solar development on their site.