Possible interim county manager a hush-hush issue

Who could be the next Lyon County manager?

Though Donna Kristaponis is still the manager, she faces the possibility of removal Thursday at the hands of the Lyon County commission. An item dedicated to her replacement was put on the draft agenda. Kristaponis has said she has no plans to resign, but is undecided on what, if any, action she might take.

The next item on the agenda refers to hiring an interim county manager, with no names mentioned.

County Commissioner Bob Milz said he knows who might be the interim manager but declined to name anyone, saying that person wouldn't like him to do so.

"I will tell you that we couldn't get a better one," he said.

Milz declined to comment further on the advice of the Lyon County district attorney.

Kristaponis has no assistant manager, so the next level of management would be department heads -the people on Kristaponis' "leadership team."

Lyon County Comptroller Josh Foli said he had not been offered the job and was not interested in it. Ditto for Building Director Nick Malarchik and Library Director Diane Brigham.

Steve Englert, the human resources director, said he had no interest and no idea who might be the interim manager.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he said. "It would be up to the board to decide on Thursday who the interim manger would be if a change is made."

County Engineer Dick Faber has not been approached, and neither has Road Director Gary Fried.

"It sure as hell won't be me," Fried said.

Utilities Director Mike Workman said he wasn't interested and doubted his qualifications.

"A lot of things a county manager deals with, I don't know if I have the brains for," he said. It's all I can do to keep up with utilities."

Human Services Director Edrie LaVoie and Planning Director Rob Loveberg did not return calls seeking comment.

County Commissioner Leroy Goodman, who was out of town last week when the issue arose, said he wasn't expecting termination, but said he still felt the same way as last September when he defended Kristaponis.

"I don't want to comment any more until Thursday," he said.

Commissioners Phyllis Hunewill and Don Tibbals could not be reached for comment.

• Contact Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

What NRS says

Here is the Nevada Revised Statute on county managers:

NRS 244.125 Appointment; compensation; removal.

1. The county commissioners of any county are authorized to appoint a county manager and to fix the compensation for such county manager.

2. The county manager shall hold his office at the pleasure of the board of county commissioners, and may be removed from office by the board at any time.

NRS 244.130 Qualifications.

1. The county manager shall possess such qualifications as the board of county commissioners may from time to time establish.

2. No person who is or has been an elected officer of the county shall be appointed county manager unless he has been out of office for at least one year prior to the date of his appointment.

NRS 244.135 Duties; employees and assistants.

1. The county manager shall perform such administrative functions of the county government as may be required of him by the board of county commissioners.

2. He may, with the approval of the board of county commissioners, appoint such assistants and other employees as are necessary to the proper functioning of his office. The salaries of such assistants and employees and other expenses of conducting the office of the county manager shall be fixed and determined by the county manager with the consent and approval of the board of county commissioners.

If You Go

WHAT: Lyon County Commission meeting

WHEN: 9 a.m. Thursday

WHERE: 27 S. Main St., Yerington

CALL: (775) 463-6531