Nye County Commissioner Peter Liakopoulos Tuesday jumped on the bandwagon of his predecessor, former district five Commissioner Patricia Cox, in voicing concerns about paying for too many consultants.

Commissioners voted to increase county hydrologist Tom Buqo's contract $47,251 to a total of $272,281, but commissioners approved other consulting contracts without a fuss.

A summary of the agenda request for Buqo's contract amendment states his original contract was signed in 2003 to perform water-related work, but has since been amended five times.

The latest contract amendment states Buqo will assist the county on water issues, including water rights filings and long term stewardship of the county's water resources. Buqo will be preparing documents to pursue damages to ground water resources at the Nevada Test Site.

Another task involves completing work on the wellhead protection program for Pahrump Valley.

Buqo's principal fees are $140 per hour, associate fees $115 per hour, managing scientist's fees $90 per hour, down to field technicians who make from $25 to $40 per hour.

"At what point does it become prudent for us to hire a county hydrologist?" Liakopoulos asked. "I think it's important we start getting away from consultants and start bringing in staff."

Nye County Manager Ron Williams said the county is paying outstanding invoices owed Buqo. He said Buqo was issued a stop work order in mid-June due to non-payment.

Assistant Nye County Manager Pam Webster said Buqo's increased contract will be paid out of the $11.25 million annual payment equal to taxes Nye County receives from the U.S. Department of Energy for the land value of Yucca Mountain. Nye County Natural Resources Director Jim Marble will review the funding request to see if it can be paid out of a congressional earmark for a groundwater study.

Other requests to fund consultants sailed through without discussion.

Commissioners voted to retain attorney Frank Cremen as a special prosecutor to handle the case against AnnJet Switzer at an undetermined amount not expected to exceed $15,000.

A former legal secretary in the Nye County district attorney's office, Switzer was arrested in September on misconduct by a public officer, possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.

Switzer was accused of trading information from the district attorney's office in exchange for drugs.

Pahrump resident Walt Kuver was hired to provide professional services in support of county project management. Kuver owns a company called Directed Solutions LLC. He will be paid $75 per hour, at a contract not to exceed $35,000.

Kuver's fees will be paid out of a renewable energy projects fund, approved by commissioners Nov. 6, using county proceeds of $561,000 from the auction of geothermal leases by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in northern Nye County earlier this year.

Kuver will conduct research into renewable energy projects Nye County is involved with and other projects relating to energy and economic development.

Attorney Mark J. Ricciardi, from the law firm of Fisher and Phillips, was given another $50,000 to increase his contract to $150,000 for county labor negotiations. His contract was originally approved in January 2006. It will now expire June 30, 2008.

Commissioners pulled a request to approve a contract extension with Entrix Consultants to complete a Pahrump Valley multi-species habitat conservation plan at the county manager's request.

The Las Vegas company recently completed a draft habitat conservation plan for the desert tortoise.

The request would've extended the company's contract to Dec. 31, 2010 at a cost of up to $225,000.