April 15, 2021, Letters to the Editor

Brady missing the point

Editor:

Dave Brady’s recent letter to the editor called out what he feels are serious faults with the new majority of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Brady went on at some length, alleging an “absence of any order or decorum” and claiming to speak for “the public” that he asserts is “losing confidence in the board’s ability to conduct its business in an orderly, timely, and fair manner.”

This analysis is exaggerated at best, but worse, it completely misses the reason the majority was elected. The Penzel-Walsh-Rice BOCC majority certainly ran some lovely meetings. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d served tea and crumpets and had poetry readings. The problem is, I can’t recall a residential development, or a master plan amendment request they turned down and, apparently, neither could a majority of Douglas County voters.

Residential overbuilding has clogged our roads with traffic, most noticeably the 395 corridors through our business district. Much of what was supposed to be agricultural land is now zoned residential, with questionable tricks like swapping a receiving area in TRE with land in Minden, just east of 395. I would say the new majority came about because “the public” took note which commission candidates were accommodating to the development community and which promised to respect the wishes of the voting majority.

Brady does not have a very good record of winning elections. It appears “The Public” wants elected officials who listen to them and respects their votes.

Bev Anderson

Fish Springs

Brady represents county establishment

Editor:

How much more obvious could Dave Brady get that he is a part of the “old boy” establishment in this county that thinks only folks they anoint should be in charge? His April 8 letter to the editor reeked of elitism as well as a strong streak of self-indulgence (i.e. that ignored “strategic plan” he writes about was instigated by him when he held office).

One reason the new board of commissioners isn’t making the likes of Brady happy happens to be that the new majority got elected to NOT be welcoming business as usual, but to put policies in place and take actions that actually reflect a desire to keep this county rural while at the same time exercising good financial sense and following sound financial practices. They promised these things, and they are making good on their promises.

Perhaps Brady was too busy patting himself on the back for his past electoral history to notice that despite the initial “bumps” in dealing with meeting protocols under stressful COVID restrictions, the commission has taken great strides in dealing with some of the county’s most pressing longtime challenges.

Unlike previous boards, including the one Brady sat on, this commission has made infrastructure a top priority — and this is real infrastructure, such as taking a close, hard look at our water systems to ensure we will have enough quality water for years to come. They’ve also already taken on the VHR issue to get it addressed, not simply to drag it out and do nothing. Strengthening the growth management ordinance is also an urgent goal now. Catering to developers has come to a halt.

One would think Brady’s financial expertise would have kicked in during his tenure on the board such that measures would have been in place that would have made the Tiregate theft of millions harder to get away with. But no. This board, however, has instigated monthly financial reports and is taking the grand jury recommendations to heart. Chair John Engels’ long tenure in overseeing and managing money in the corporate world has proved to be invaluable.

Barely a quarter of a year in, meetings are running smoothly and the initial “bumps” are in the rearview mirror. Of course, those who oppose the current majority are desperate to create an ugly narrative; after all, 2022 is just around the corner.

Brady observes that “good news travels fast, bad news even faster.” Well, I hope that’s true. The good news is that Douglas County has a majority on its board of commissioners who truly seek out the will of the people and then do their best to act on it.

Virginia Starrett

Gardnerville

More back and forth

Editor:

I had hoped that the kindergarten tit for tat was finally over. Apparently not. Mr. Muzzy choses to remain in the sandbox.

Perhaps that is why he is not aware that Commissioner Gardner has not sat at the official table for commissioners until this last meeting. I had not seen him in his hat, I listen to the meetings. However, why should he not wear a hat since the erstwhile leader of the county commissioners chooses to ignore protocol.

The first time I brought the objection I had to the rudeness of wearing a hat during official meetings, I was informed by Ms. Starrett that this was the West, and we do not recognize manners, etiquette or protocol out here.

I am sure a great number of westerners would dispute that fact.

Danna Meyer

Gardnerville

Time to adapt to the virus

Editor:

I thought I’d make a comment on the headline “Outbreak slowing, but it’s not over yet,” as it got me thinking that it could be applied to another serious problem that “isn’t over yet.”

I am referring to the 1918 flu, which killed 500,000 in the United States and tens of millions around the world a century ago. Now we have had flu shots for generations, but it isn’t over yet.

As a matter of fact, I wonder how many flu deaths have been reported as virus deaths? Interesting thought.

So, isn’t it time to move on and treat the virus in the same manner. It’s not over yet, and it probably never will be.

Maybe it’s time to treat it like the flu and learn to live with it as best we can.

Roy Nisja

Gardnerville

Buyer’s remorse over Biden

Editor:

On the first day, the border policy was reversed with disastrous outcome that was predictable. The border crossings increased by 300 percent to date. The only difference being the occupier in the White House advocating open borders and ending wall construction.

What sense did it make to have Americans locked up, out of work, with no direct schooling and socially distancing?

Masked for a year and then open borders for unAmericans, unemployed, untested, unlimited illegals with over 10 percent infection rate with all varieties of COVID-19.

Halting the Keystone pipeline construction and suspending further leasing for fossil fuels on public lands. The consequences included an increase of $20 a barrel on oil transportation in less safe environmental means. No prior consultation with our largest trade partner hurt relations with Canada, which has requested compensation. Thousands of high paying jobs lost. Just the perception of it has raised the price of gasoline $1 a gallon and with these policies gasoline cost will be near $6 in two years with no benefits and we’ll have to replace lost production from foreign sources.

With a six-vote margin in the House of Representatives, a tie in the Senate and the presidency, Democrats feel emboldened to pass their extreme agenda, unopposed, by eliminating filibuster rules in the Senate.

They have already passed a COVID-19 relief bill for $1.9 trillion along party lines, with only 10 percent allocated to virus, rest pork. The planned $3 trillion infrastructure bill with two-thirds allocated for environmental green energy will benefit China more than the U.S.

Methods of payment under consideration include mileage tax, cap gains tax, corporate income tax of 21-30 percent increase in estate and death taxes and additional income taxes over $400,000 for couples and small businesses, undoing Trump tax cuts, carbon taxes and more.

Words of advice to President Biden from Winston Churchill: “We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself to prosperity, is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle,” and “You don't make the poor richer, by making the rich poorer.”

Is this the utopia expected or might there be some buyers’ remorse?

Mark Tarvainen

Gardnerville