MARK WAITE / PVT Dave Swanson, acting Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office director Advertisement

A recommendation to appoint Dave Swanson as the permanent director of the Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Office was tabled by county commissioners last week, not because of his qualifications but due to a perceived conflict of interest in the selection committee.

Interim Assistant County Manager Rick Marshall told Commissioner Patricia Cox the three-member screening committee included Ed Hanson, a former Nevada Test Site worker and member of the Pahrump town nuclear waste advisory committee; Geneva Hollis, a retired, long-time county employee who on different occasions served as acting county manager and in a number of other county positions; and himself.

Cox expressed concerns about Hollis serving on the selection committee, since her husband, Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis, is the county commission's liaison on nuclear waste. Commissioner Hollis offered to abstain from the vote. Commissioner Candice Trummell had already abstained due to her position with the Robison-Sidler consulting firm, which deals with nuclear waste transportation issues.

"When a commissioner liaison works closely with this department and his wife is sitting as a committee member, I feel there is too much of a conflict," Cox said.

She said the county normally involves the county manager and other high officials when it hires people for top management positions like the nuclear waste repository office director.

Interim County Manager Ron Williams said he divided duties with Interim Assistant County Manager Marshall when they were appointed to fill in after the termination of county manager Mike Maher back in April.

"When I was asked to put this (committee) together, I looked at people who were familiar with budgets, with the nuclear industry as well," Marshall said. After the committee was selected, Marshall said he kept the composition secret so the members couldn't be influenced by others.

The appointment of Swanson has been put on the agenda again however for Tuesday's Nye County Commission meeting. The agenda also offers commissioners the choice to appoint a new selection committee to either review all the original applicants or advertise again for the position.

Nye County received 10 applications for the position, Marshall said. One withdrew, two failed to return follow-up questionnaires by the deadline, and the remaining seven were ranked based on job qualifications, he said.

"We interviewed the top two and, based on the interview, the committee felt that Dave Swanson was the most qualified and the best selection for the position," Marshall said.

The candidates were required to list their education, experience and write a paper advising Nye County on recent congressional proposals for the interim storage of nuclear waste.

Commissioner Joni Eastley, after consulting with Nye County Chief Civil Deputy District Attorney Ron Kent, said three commissioners had to be present in the county seat during the first meeting of the month to discuss an item. Commissioner Cox was attending the meeting via video-conference from Pahrump, while both Commissioners Trummell and Hollis excused themselves, leaving only two commissioners left.

"I will tell you, I don't support this selection," Eastley said.

Dale Hammermeister, an on-site geo-technical representative, was promoted to director of the program in February but resigned in May. Before Hammermeister, the department had been without a permanent director since Les Bradshaw retired in September 2004.

Hammermeister was then rebuffed when he came back before the commissioners in June to request a no-bid $95,000 consulting contract to continue overseeing the nuclear waste program. Hammermeister represented a firm called GeoSystems Analysis Inc., based in Reno, when he bid for the contract.

At that time Swanson told commissioners Hammermeister had unique knowledge of the program that would have made it difficult to solicit competitive bids. His wife, Susy Hammermeister, bid $60,000 for another Nye County nuclear waste study contract, which was also denied.

Swanson has been the acting director of the repository office since Bradshaw left, except for when Hammermeister held the position. The director supervises the $2.6 million Nye County oversight program of Yucca Mountain and the $3.4 million Independent Scientific Investigative Program. The office has 13 staff members and contracts with over 12 scientists and engineers.

Swanson has worked at the Nuclear Waste Repository Office for four years. He received a master of science degree in water resource development in 1970 from Michigan State University. His resume lists over 25 years of experience in hydro-geology and mitigation of contaminated ground water and soil for engineering firms on behalf of firms ranging from railroads, chemical, drug and utility companies.

In another nuclear waste related issue, commissioners voted 4-0 to approve an expansion of the Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office to hire a planner to study affects of the Yucca Mountain program on surrounding communities like Beatty and Amargosa Valley. The planner would compile an inventory of current land uses and infrastructure in those communities. The study, expected to take two years, would also identify possible support facilities for the Yucca Mountain project that could be located there.

Swanson's request for the project states: "Impacts caused by new residents wanting to locate in the communities and new commercial and government facilities will stress existing (and in some cases non-existent) infrastructure. There is a current need to develop the necessary plans to assure that future development is successful and is consistent with community goals."