A move by County Commissioner Peter Liakopoulos to terminate Nye County Manager Ron Williams when his contract expires May 30 was defeated by a 3-2 vote Monday.

Only Commissioner Gary Hollis supported Liakopoulos’ motion, cited as a cost-cutting measure.

Williams, the planning director who was appointed interim county manager in March 2006, was given an 18-month contract as county manager in December 2006.

Williams pointed out commissioners previously authorized him to stay on the job for four months after his replacement is hired. Williams offered to remain as county manager until the end of this year.

Liakopoulos thought that could keep Williams in office a long time, based on the drawn-out process of hiring a county manager in the past.

“Before this could be a situation that could go on for several months at this juncture, as long as we’re at the end of his contract, this could give us a possibility to save quite a bit of money,” Liakopoulos said.

In light of a tight budget situation, the termination would be more acceptable than other recommendations to increase taxes or delay the payment of the 4 percent cost-of-living adjustments to county employees, he said.

Williams receives an annual salary of over $140,000. Liakopoulos estimated Nye County could save $35,000 over three months, or $70,000 over six months, by not having that position filled.

Assistant County Manager Pam Webster told Commissioner Roberta “Midge” Carver she wouldn’t want to also serve as interim county manager but admitted that was in her job description.

“Obviously, we have a logistics challenge with the amount of ground we have to cover, the amount of time we have to bring that person up to speed,” she said.

Amargosa Valley Town Board Chairwoman Jan Cameron said Williams was the best county manager she worked with in 10 years of dealings with Nye County.

“One of the problems you have with this county is we lose our continuity and our understanding of what has gone on in the past,” Cameron said. She said terminating Williams before his replacement learns the ropes is “cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

But Pahrump construction company owner John Spalding supported Liakopoulos’ proposal, predicting long delays finding a new county manager.

Realtor Darren Shelton, a Pahrump resident for six years and business owner for four, read a letter supporting Liakopoulos’ suggestion.

“I hope to encourage you to find a candidate who will provide a progressive, pro-growth attitude and position,” Shelton said. “The perception, whether correct or not, is Nye County is anti-growth and anti-progress.

“New streamlined processes should be created within county departments to provide simple, step-by-step action plans for new business. I believe the county needs to adopt an open arms policy and welcome new commercial businesses. I believe a new county manager can do this for the county.”

Realtor Paula Glidden said it’s time to move forward and hire a new manager.

“Ms. Webster is probably going to be overwhelmed at times, but I think this is a position she took,” Glidden said.

But Commissioner Butch Borasky said it would be too much of a burden to put on Webster, who already works long hours.

Commissioner Joni Eastley, referring to Williams’ long tenure, said, “Twenty-seven years of working in this county gives you a pretty good perspective of what’s going on. I don’t want to lose the institutional history that can be given in a couple of months to someone who would fill Ron’s shoes. When a ship finds itself on choppy seas, the worst thing it can do is throw the captain overboard.”

In a jab at Liakopoulos, who voted to increase commissioner salaries last year, Eastley said, “a lot of people have high principles when it comes to sacrificing other people’s salaries, but they don’t have the same principle when it comes to sacrificing their own.”

Later, commissioners debated the process of selecting the county manager from among 30 applicants.

Webster was told to present the names of the top five candidates to be called in for interviews.

Eastley joked about the differences in educational qualifications in the job postings.

“You have to have a master’s in public administration to be the assistant county manager, but you only have to have a high school diploma to be the county manager,” she said.

Borasky and Hollis have already handed in their top five choices based on an evaluation form submitted to them by the county Human Resources Department, Webster said.