Nevada Association of Counties (NACO) Presentation to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs February 25, 2011
NACO proudly serves Nevada s 17 counties, operating under the following Mission Statement: To encourage county government to adopt and maintain local, regional, state and national cooperation that will result in a positive influence on public policy and optimize the management of county resources; to provide valuable education and support services that will maximize efficiency and foster public trust in county government. NACO Staff Jeffrey Fontaine, Executive Director jfontaine@nvnaco.org 775-443-7667 Wes Henderson, Deputy Director whenderson@nvnaco.org 775-881-8273 Leah Bradle, Operations and Public Affairs lbradle@nvnaco.org 775-997-3004 Office 775-883-7863 L-2 2
BOARD OF DIRECTORS* Board consists of County Commissioners unless otherwise noted Supervisor Molly Walt Carson City Norman Frey Churchill County Tom Collins Clark County Lee Bonner Douglas County Demar Dahl Elko County Nancy Boland Esmeralda County Jim Ithurralde Eureka County Tom Fransway Humboldt County Ray Williams Lander County George T. Tommy Rowe Lincoln County Joe Mortensen Lyon County Jerrie Tipton Mineral County Joni Eastley Nye County Pat Irwin Pershing County Bob Kershaw Storey County Kitty Jung Washoe County Laurie Carson White Pine County 2011 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS PRESIDENT Doug Johnson Douglas County PRESIDENT ELECT Jerrie Tipton Mineral County VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Boland Esmeralda County PAST PRESIDENT Bonnie Weber Washoe County Executive Board Member Susan Brager Clark County NACO Fiscal Officer Claudette Springmeyer Douglas County AFFILIATE MEMBERS County Fiscal Officers Association Nevada Assessors Association Nevada Association of County Clerks and Election Officials Nevada Association of County Human Services Administrators Nevada Association of County Treasurers Recorders Association of Nevada Nevada District Attorneys Association Nevada Judges Association Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association *Board includes Executive Officers L-3 3
THE CREATION OF NEVADA S COUNTIES The first Nevada Territorial Legislature established nine counties on November 25, 1861, including Churchill, Douglas, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lyon, Ormsby, Storey, Washoe and Lake. Only Humboldt county, which existed as a county within the Utah Territory, was retained and established as a county within both the Nevada Territory and, subsequently, the State of Nevada. The largest territorial county was Esmeralda which, along with Churchill and Humboldt, comprised four-fifths of the Nevada Territory. Lake County was renamed Roop County on December 5, 1862 and then consolidated with Washoe County in 1889 because of its very small population. Two more counties, Lander and Nye, were organized when Nevada was a territory, so that the total number of counties in Nevada when it became a state was 11. In the first 10 years of statehood four more counties were organized: Elko (1869), Eureka (1873), Lincoln (1866), and White Pine (1869). Over three decades passed before the organization of any additional counties. After the turn of the century the last three counties were created, Clark (1909), Mineral (1911), and Pershing (1919). In 1969 Ormsby County and Carson City were consolidated into one municipal government known as Carson City. In 1987, the Legislature created Bullfrog County, a 144-square mile enclave within southern Nye County. The purpose of Bullfrog County was to enhance the state s ability to receive funds from the Federal Government pursuant to the Payments Equal To Taxes provisions of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Following a challenge by Nye County in the Nevada district court, the legislation was judged to be unconstitutional and subsequently was repealed by the Legislature in 1989. The 17 counties of the state, with years of creation and the original and present county seats, are as follows: County Year of creation Original county seat Present county seat Carson City 1 1969 Carson City Carson City Churchill 2 1861 Buckland's Fallon (1904) Clark 1909 Las Vegas Las Vegas Douglas 1861 Genoa Minden (1916) Elko 1869 Elko Elko Esmeralda 3 1861 Aurora Goldfield (1907) Eureka 1873 Eureka Eureka Humboldt 1861 Unionville Winnemucca (1873) Lander 3 1862 Jacob's Spring Battle Mountain (1979) Lincoln 3 1866 Crystal Springs Pioche (1871) Lyon 1861 Dayton Yerington (1911) Mineral 1911 Hawthorne Hawthorne Nye 3 1864 Ione Tonopah (1905) Pershing 1919 Lovelock Lovelock Storey 1861 Virginia City Virginia City Washoe 1861 Washoe City Reno (1871) White Pine 1869 Hamilton Ely (1887) 1 Carson City became a county as the result of consolidation with Ormsby County in 1969. Ormsby County was created in 1861 and Carson City always served as its county seat. 2 Churchill County was not formally organized in 1864, and its intermediate county seats were LaPlata (1864-68) and Stillwater (1868-1904). 3 Lander County also had an intermediate county seat at Austin (1863-1979); as did Lincoln County at Hiko (1867-71); Esmeralda County at Hawthorne (1883-1907); and Nye County at Belmont (1867-1905). L-4 4
THE CREATION OF NEVADA S COUNTIES Nevada's counties were named for a variety of persons or other features. The following table summarizes the naming of Nevada's 17 counties, plus the former counties of Lake, Ormsby, and Roop. Other historical information is also included. Carson City Churchill Clark Douglas Elko Esmeralda Eureka Humboldt Lake Lander Lincoln Named by Frank M. Proctor, one of the founders of Carson City in 1858, directly or indirectly for Christopher "Kit" Carson, the famed explorer and guide who first entered western Nevada in the winter of 1843-44. Fort Churchill, Nevada, which had been named for General Sylvester Churchill, a Mexican War hero who was Inspector General of the U.S. Army in 1861. William A. Clark, former United States Senator from Montana, and the builder of the railroad line through the area. Stephen A. Douglas, former United States Senator from Illinois. Douglas is best remembered for his debates with Abraham Lincoln. Douglas was re-elected United States Senator from Illinois over Lincoln in 1858, but was defeated by Lincoln for the Presidency in 1860. Several explanations have been offered, including an Indian word meaning either "white woman" or "beautiful." Another explanation credits railroad owner Charles Crocker with the naming of a railroad station after elk roaming in the area and adding an "o" to form "Elko." Esmeralda is the Spanish word for emerald. An early Nevada miner, J. M. Corey, named the Esmeralda Mining District. It is believed that Corey may have named the district after the gypsy dancing girl, Esmeralda, from Victor Hugo's book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The ancient Greek term, Eureka, meaning "I have found it." This term was used earlier in California and other locations. Baron Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist, traveler and statesman. Several lakes in the area, including Honey, Pyramid, and Winnemucca. Fredrick W. Lander, chief engineer of a federal wagon route through the area. He later served as Special Indian Agent in the area, and died in the Civil War in Virginia in 1862 at the rank of brigadier general. Created in 1862, Lander County sprang forth as the result of a mining boom on the Reese River, taking a considerable portion of Churchill and Humboldt counties with it. Eventually, Lander would be known as the "mother of counties" because so many were carved out of it. Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. Lyon General Nathaniel Lyon who died in the Civil War in Missouri in 1861. Mineral Nye Ormsby Pershing The surrounding area, which is heavily mineralized. James W. Nye, Governor of Nevada Territory and later United States Senator from Nevada. Major William M. Ormsby, one of the original settlers of Carson City, who was killed in 1860 in the Pyramid Lake Indian War. General John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Force (1917-1919) in Europe during World War 1. Roop Isaac N. Roop, the Governor of the provisional territory of Nevada, 1859-61. Storey Captain Edward F. Storey, who was killed in 1860 in the Pyramid Lake Indian War. Washoe White Pine A small Indian tribe that inhabited the area. Heavy growth of pine trees in the area, thought to be white pine. Source: Nevada State Library and Archives 5
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County County Seat Name Year Formed Total Sq. Miles Size of County Commission Board 2009 Population Carson City Carson City 1861 155.66 4 56,201 Churchill County Fallon 1861 5,023.38 3 25,618 Clark County Las Vegas 1909 8,090.66 7 1,966,853 Douglas County Minden 1861 737.65 5 46,416 Elko County Elko 1869 17,202.94 5 48,692 Esmeralda County Goldfield 1861 3,589.00 3 657 Eureka County Eureka 1873 4,179.96 3 1,758 Humboldt County Winnemucca 1861 9,657.87 5 18,617 Lander County Battle Mountain 1862 5,519.47 5 5,247 Lincoln County Pioche 1866 10,636.77 5 4,870 Lyon County Yerington 1861 2,016.40 5 53,934 Mineral County Hawthorne 1911 3,812.97 3 4,776 Nye County Tonopah 1864 18,158.73 5 45,240 Pershing County Lovelock 1919 6,067.55 3 6,448 Storey County Virginia City 1861 263.80 3 4,552 Washoe County Reno 1861 6,551.32 5 425,532 White Pine County Ely 1869 8,896.60 5 9,346 L-7 7
2009 Population Estimates by County, City, and Unincorporated Town STATE 2,711,206 Carson City 56,506 No towns Churchill County 26,859 Fallon 9,113 No towns Clark County 1,952,040 Boulder City 16,064 Henderson 267,687 Las Vegas 591,422 Mesquite 20,677 North Las Vegas 215,022 Bunkerville 1,222 Enterprise 150,473 Indian Springs 1,447 Laughlin 7,914 Moapa 1,052 Moapa Valley 7,269 Mt. Charleston 1,061 Paradise 178,074 Searchlight 718 Spring Valley 174,458 Summerlin 28,342 Sunrise Manor 179,808 Whitney 37,690 Winchester 35,235 Douglas County 51,390 No cities Gardnerville 5,250 Genoa 256 Minden 3,229 Elko County 51,325 Carlin 2,345 Elko 18,428 Wells 1,515 West Wendover 4,945 Jackpot 1,184 Montello 167 Mountain City 121 Esmeralda County 1,187 No cities Goldfield 441 Silver Peak 141 Eureka County 1,562 No cities Crescent Valley 283 Eureka (town) 483 Humboldt County 17,690 Winnemucca 7,593 No towns Lander County 6,003 No cities Austin 304 Battle Mountain 2,967 Lincoln County 4,317 Caliente 1,106 Alamo 455 Panaca 659 Pioche 837 Kingston 331 Lyon County 53,825 Fernley 18,929 Yerington 3,138 No towns Mineral County 4,474 No cities Hawthorne 3,028 Luning 79 Mina 207 Walker Lake 316 Nye County 46,360 No Amargosa 1,392 Beatty 880 Gabbs 316 Manhattan 135 Pahrump 38,247 Round Mountain 837 Tonopah 2,580 Pershing County 7,149 Lovelock 2,411 Imlay 233 Storey County 4,317 No cities Gold Hill 207 Virginia City 1,011 Washoe County 416,632 Reno 218,143 Sparks 91,237 No towns White Pine County 9,570 Ely 4,291 Lund 158 McGill 1,109 Ruth 402 No towns University of Nevada, Reno - State Demographer's Office L-8 8
2010 Annual County Unemployment Rates County Percentage* Lyon County 19.2 Nye County 16.3 Douglas County 14.8 Mineral County 14.2 Storey County 14.2 Clark County 13.8 Carson City 13.6 Washoe County 13.4 Lincoln County 12.9 Pershing County 12.2 Churchill County 11.4 White Pine County 9.4 Humboldt County 9.3 Eureka County 8.8 Esmeralda County 8.5 Elko County 8.3 Lander County 7.4 *no seasonal adjustment Information provided by L-9 9
2009 Annual Income Rates by County County Median Household Income Lander County $62,329 Elko County $62,091 Douglas County $60,578 Humboldt County $57,309 Eureka County $56,815 Storey County $54,246 Clark County $53,512 Washoe County $53,036 Carson City $52,548 Churchill County $52,055 Lyon County $51,151 White Pine County $48,063 Pershing County $45,644 Lincoln County $44,387 Nye County $43,215 Esmeralda County $42,526 Mineral County $36,017 Information provided by L-10 10
Counties Largest Employers For a full listing of each county s largest employers, industry type and number of employees, please visit NV Energy s Economic Development page at: http://www.nvenergy.com/economicdevelopment/index.cfm L-11 11
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