Bill Dolan ... named by governor RELATED STORY Who is Bill Dolan? Advertisement

Bill Dolan introduced himself as the new, governor-appointed Pahrump Town Board member during public comment at Tuesday's meeting.

Dolan will fill the vacancy left by John McDonald who resigned earlier this month.

Due to the unusual and surprising way Dolan's completely unexpected appointment came about, Gov. Jim Gibbons will soon receive a letter from the board expressing its displeasure with his blatant disregard of Pahrump's established process to fill vacancies, set forth in a resolution approved in 1997.

The motion to send the letter was passed unanimously by the board.

In fact, the board only found out about Dolan, and was introduced to him for the first time, Tuesday morning.

Dolan's arrival also came as a surprise to many of the people who attended the meeting, particularly given the fact that the board had yet to accept McDonald's resignation (it was scheduled for -- and accepted -- that night).

Board member Dan Sprouse was visibly angry about the appointment.

"This is an important board, and yes, the governor has the opportunity to choose who he wants," Sprouse conceded. "However, last time I checked, the governor doesn't live in this town -- we do. So I think the people in this community ought to have a say-so in who sits on this board.

"And I think this is a slap in the face. I don't want somebody appointed to this board because he has an 'R' or 'D' or some other letter in front of his name. I think that's wrong. I want somebody on this board here who's going to take care of this community, somebody who cares. Mr. Dolan, I hope you're that person, I really do."

According to Chairman Laurayne Murray, the paperwork confirming Dolan's appointment had only just been received from the Gov. Jim Gibbons' office that morning, after being sent by overnight express mail.

Town Manager Bill Kohbarger said Dolan came to the Town Office Monday and introduced himself as the new board member.

A flurry of phone calls between the governor's office and the town office followed, ultimately resulting in Nick Vanderpool, board and commissions director, confirming that Dolan had in fact been appointed, effective July 21.

Ben Kieckhefer, communications director for the governor's office, said Dolan's name was "forwarded to the governor by someone in his inner circle" but was unable to give a specific name as to who that was. Kieckhefer did say Dolan did not fill out an application for appointment.

During a brief interview after the meeting, Dolan also declined to say who had recommended him.

Murray made it a point to explain that even though the board took umbrage at not having any say in the appointment, Dolan would be "a valuable and welcome member of this board.

"But I believe there has to be a strong communication with the governor's office that the process was disrespectful to disregard our policy and not give acknowledgement to our process, even though he is the governor and he can do what he wants," Murray said.

"What that says to me is they'll take their chances in the arena of public opinion," she added.

Harley Kulkin, candidate for county commission, was under the false impression that Dolan had been advocated for the board by Nye County Commissioner Gary Hollis.

Hollis, however, said that was simply an effort of political sabotage.

"I've only met Mr. Dolan once, and that was on the Fourth of July," Hollis said. "I had absolutely nothing to do with his appointment."

Dolan said that Kulkin's comments were the first he had heard of Hollis being involved in his appointment.

"I was asked to serve, and I'm a person who believes in giving back to the community," Dolan said, again refusing to answer who, specifically, had asked him to join the board.

Kulkin, however, did make the initial suggestion to write a letter to the governor.

"If he can appoint somebody, he can un-appoint them," Kulkin said. "I know there were a lot of people in this community that were waiting for a certain procedure so they could put in for it," Kulkin said. "A process was circumvented, and that was wrong."

Usually, in compliance with a resolution passed by the board July 8, 1997, after the board accepts a resignation they advertise the vacant position. A subcommittee is formed and conducts interviews and reviews resumes. The subcommittee makes recommendations to the town board, which then forwards those names to the governor to appoint.

Dolan was not sworn into office at the meeting.