The Beatty Town Advisory board has approved an incentive package of up to $100,000 to attract a doctor to the town clinic.

It will request that the county fund half the package, which could include such things as payment of government fees and tuition, bonuses for signing and retention, and assistance with housing costs. The exact components of the package would be tailored to a candidate's needs and desires.

At the board's April 23 meeting, members Joannie Jarvis and Teresa Sullivan also stressed the need to do something to upgrade the living quarters provided to the doctor. They said that it was a "20-year-old trailer" that was not in the best of shape. Although new paint and carpet might help, they felt it needed much more than that to be attractive and make a doctor feel at home.

With the assistance of community planner Cheryl Beeman, from Nye County, the board and audience members made progress on the town's master plan. As a preface, the group agreed on the following vision statement:

"The town of Beatty will be a place where our small town atmosphere will be capitalized upon, where historic sites are preserved, natural beauty protected, and resources conserved. Our role as the gateway to Death Valley will be embraced, educational and economic opportunities will be expanded, and orderly growth and development will be encouraged. The result will be a community where families live, work, and play in harmony."

Beeman left the board and community with the "homework assignment" of developing the community's "guiding principles."

The board allocated up to $1,400 for a laptop computer to be used in conjunction with their projection equipment to display information at town board meetings and other functions.

Both Kay Tarr and Ryan Tweney gave reports on the recent river bed clean-up. Tarr said they filled all of the 100 large garbage bags they were given.

She also said that there are some heavy car parts in the river bed they were unable to remove. She said another clean-up is planned for May 3, and that Charlie Cook is helping to acquire a chipper to use on the tree branches that remain as litter.

Samantha Brashears told the board that she recently met a man from Mad Sons Trucking in Las Vegas who is willing to haul away unwanted junk vehicles without charge as long as he can get a truck load. She was encouraged to also give this information to the sheriff's office.