Wendy Sharp at Thursday's Douglas County commissioners' meeting.
The hiring of the county’s first public administrator after the position was permanently removed from the ballot was ratified by Douglas County commissioners on Thursday.
“It will be a real source of pride for me to serve Douglas County and our residents in this capacity and bring the dignity that our citizens who are no longer with us deserve,” Gardnerville resident Wendy Sharp told the board. “I’m very excited to take on this role and whatever challenges that might present.”
The board voted 4-0 to approve Sharp for the position. She will be taking over for Community Services Director Brook Adie, who has been the interim administrator since the last elected administrator Steve Walsh resigned in December.
“Go forth and serve,” Commission Chairwoman Sharla Hales said. “And thanks to you, Ms. Adie, for the big lift over the last couple of months.”
Sharp will have her work cut out for her as there are still 31 public administration cases that need to be reintroduced.
As part of her duties, she will need to be appointed to each of those cases by the district judges handling the individual cases.
• Commissioners approved returning a Representative Payee Grant Award of $106,243 to the Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division.
Community Services Director Brook Adie said the grant was going to be used to hire a deputy public guardian and a case manager.
However, the sudden withdrawal of one candidate in March and the resignation of Public Guardian Nicole Thomas on May 2 raised too many obstacles.
“It was too much of a challenge to do this while looking for another guardian,” Adie said “We’ve been approved for the grant for next year. The jobs will continue as long as we get the grant funding.”