Nye County will expand its office space in Pahrump by moving into a new building being constructed by Provenza-Neth Properties, whch is partly-owned by former Nye County Commissioner Henry Neth.

Jim Marble, director of the Nye County Department of Natural Resources and Federal Facilities, said he looked at eight different sites to house workers involved in the program.

Provenza-Neth Properties wants a three-year lease at $2,760.80 per month; Marble was told to agree to up to two years.

Construction of the offices, at 401 S. Frontage Road, should be completed by June, Marble said. He told commissioners he should be able to obtain at least 75 percent of the cost of the lease from grants.

Commissioner Butch Borasky questioned spending all that money to lease more office space.

"If the landlord can build this property, lease it and make money on it, why can't the county? At least look into it that we could build a strip mall or strip office or some type of setup like they do and eventually own it and have it rent free," Borasky said.

But County Manager Ron Williams said grant funds come with restrictions on building brick and mortar. Borasky suggested evaluating the Nye County Courthouse complex on Basin Avenue, which is being remodeled to add more courtrooms, while the county treasurer's and assessor's offices are moved into modular buildings.

Earlier, Nye County commissioners passed a routine one-year renewal of a lease agreement with Wulfenstein Development for $5,054 per month to house the Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office at 1210 E. Basin Road.

Nye County is also remodeling the old building at the Calvada Eye, which will be used for a future meeting room, district attorney's offices and county manager's offices.

In addition, the county manager, county commissioners and other county administrators like the comptroller have office space in the county administration building, next to the county courthouse at 1510 E. Basin Road, where there is also a meeting room for special county commission conference calls.

The county planning department is located in the Marilyn Galvan Office Complex at 250 N. Highway 160, the site of the former county courthouse. Public works and the county road department are located in modular buildings on Boothill Road off Highway 160 just north of the Pahrump town offices.