Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly reacted to deep budget cuts to her department by taking a proactive approach to create sources of revenue. Wehrly is hoping to save positions, programs, and a fully functioning jail in Tonopah.
The problem is Nye County, with only 45,000 residents, is trying to deal with a $2.5 million shortfall, driven by lower than projected property taxes. So far, proposed cuts to the sheriff’s budget is $800,000 of Tonopah jail’s $1.2 million budget.
To save money, the county will also eliminate $172,000 for the D.A.R.E and G.R.E.A.T programs, and implement one furloughed day per month per employee.
Wehrly declined to be interviewed by KNPR’s State of Nevada until her department’s budget for the next cycle starting July 1 was resolved. She said all sides are going to “sit down at a table, which we should do, and see how it is all going to flush out.”
Wehrly told the Pahrump Valley Timesafter a March 6 Nye County Commission meeting that they don’t want to close down the Tonopah jail or cut employees if they don’t have to. She said the county could generate revenue by renting beds in the Pahrump and Tonopah jails, and hosting SWAT team training sessions.
Copyright 2015 KNPR-FM. To see more, visit http://www.knpr.org/. 9(MDA0NjY4NzQ2MDEyOTc4NzIzMThmMjJkMg001))
Lillian Browne, reporter, Pahrump Valley Times