Jim Barbee approved as new Churchill County manager

Nevada Department of Agriculture director Jim Barbee will be the Churchill County manager, replacing the retiring Eleanor Lockwood this spring.

The Churchill County Commission will make a formal announcement at its Wednesday meeting.

Barbee was first appointed as director of the NDA in 2011. According to the NDA website, Barbee has worked on policy issues with both the Nevada State Board of Education and the Nevada Legislature. He has served on the National FFA Board of Directors and Foundation Board of Trustees and is a former secondary agriculture educator with a certificate as a Certified Public Manager (CPM). Barbee managed millions in grant monies while a supervisor in Career and Technical Education at the Department of Education for 11 years.

A Douglas High School graduate, Barbee has a Masters of Agriculture Science, Agriculture Education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science from California State University at Chico.

“It has been a great pleasure to serve Gov. (Brian) Sandoval, the Nevada Board of Agriculture and citizens of Nevada. NDA has a strong team and I have no doubt they will continue to do good work for the constituents of our great state,” Barbee said. “I look forward to working with NDA as I represent Churchill County on the many diverse topics related to agriculture and natural resources on the local level.”

Barbee will be with the NDA through May 18.

“Jim Barbee has served as a member of my administration since 2011,” Sandoval said. “I want to thank him for his service and I wish him well in his future endeavors.”