Joni Eastley ... named chairwoman Advertisement

TONOPAH -- Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley was named chairwoman Wednesday, after a motion to nominate Butch Borasky died for lack of a second.

Commissioner Gary Hollis had been chairman the past two years.

Hollis announced right off the bat, "I have a lot of things on my plate for 2008 and I will not accept the nomination of chair." He is seeking re-election this year as commissioner of District 3.

Commissioner Peter Liakopoulos made the motion to nominate Eastley.

Eastley replied, "I absolutely appreciate the vote of confidence. Commissioner Borasky asked if he would be chairman and I would support him on that. So I decline the nomination and I will make the nomination for Commissioner Borasky."

A request for a second to the motion on Borasky's nomination then went unanswered. Borasky himself said he wouldn't second a motion to appoint himself and made the motion to nominate Eastley instead. Liakopoulos made the second and it passed.

The county commission chairman normally, as an informal policy, refrains from lobbying for an issue and making a motion.

While the chairman doesn't have a lot of additional authority, like approving agendas, he or she runs the meetings.

Hollis often would declare a recess, during which time commissioners frequently held one-on-one discussions with parties having business with the commission, before reconvening officially as a board.

The chairman could do other things, like waive the rules to allow a speaker additional time or choose to allow reconsideration of an item at the request of an applicant after a vote was made.

The chairman also appoints commissioners as liaisons to various committees; appointments to 21 committees were tabled Wednesday.

The chairman is also often contacted as a representative of the county when residents want to complain about a county commission action, a fact Eastley recognized in taking the position.

"The position of chairman of any board invites a lot of criticism and a lot of negativity, and I want to personally express my gratitude and give recognition and thanks to Commissioner Hollis for having done such a good job for these past two years," she said.

Eastley often sat in as acting chairwoman in Hollis's absent, in her position as vice-chairwoman of the commission.

Commissioner Roberta "Midge" Carver was named chairwoman of the Nye County Board of Road Commissioners and Hollis the vice-chairman. Borasky won appointment as chairman of the Nye County licensing and liquor board, Liakopoulos was named the vice-chairman.