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Open letter to the people of Pahrump

I just finished reading Mark Waite's Aug. 29 story regarding Town Manager Bill Kohbarger's meet and greet.

An unfortunate and perhaps deliberate editing decision left out a critical sentence in my column published in the Elko Daily Free Press regarding Kohbarger taking the job in Pahrump.

Waite used excerpts from my column but the editor apparently did not have room for one more sentence.

To be perfectly clear, the column was critical of most members of the Pahrump Town Board and the usual lineup of citizens who continually disrupt meetings and stall progress.

On two occasions in my column, which was written in June shortly after Mr. Kohbarger was fired as manager of the City of Carlin and accepted the position in Pahrump, I made it clear Pahrump is "full of thousands of wonderful people" and it is unfortunate they have to suffer at the hands of "Tammany Hall-style politicians."

Pahrump remains dear to my heart, as do the many, many people who became friends with my family and me during our nearly 12 years in "The Heart of the New Old West."

We continue to wish Pahrump well and always will.

DOUG MCMURDO

Associate Editor

Elko Daily Free Press

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Omitted from the McMurdo column was the phrase, "While Pahrump is populated by tens of thousands of wonderful people"

Be a part of the solution

Some people sometimes want to recall certain local politicians. That's OK. That's their right.

You might want to take a good look at Mr. Beckett, our district attorney for Nye County. He's a good candidate. For some reason, he drags his feet on prosecuting drug cases, dealers, growers and traffickers.

It looks like if you have enough money, you can buy your way out of jail. In the case of Guerino Cristalo, give us your cars, real estate and a lot of cash and you won't have to go to jail.

Oh I forgot. He might be ill.

If you are a poor drug dealer and can't afford to buy your way out, you are going to jail, I guess even if you are ill.

Is Mr. Beckett a prosecutor or a negotiator? If I'm not mistaken, if you are arrested for trafficking drugs you can go through drug court and not to jail. Why?

In Mr. Cristalo's case, will his real property be auctioned off? Will all the cash he paid go into Nye County's general fund? Will all his cars be auctioned off? Hell, the cars were already on Tony DeMeo's own personal property once.

I'm sorry. The impound was full? What was he thinking?

If you see a problem in your county or town, voice your opinion. If you're not a part of the solution, then you're part of the problem.

TOM WRIGHT

Regarding Mr. Joerger

Mr. Joerger stated that I was, in essence, holding a grudge because he was once my landlord and I was angry because he wouldn't perform some work my wife and I had asked be done in the home in which we were living.

Mr. Joerger was not our landlord. He was the attorney for the estate of our landlord who died.

Our rent payment checks were made to the estate of Mr. ***** [name omitted for privacy] and delivered to a third party monthly. Therefore, Mr. Joerger was not, in fact, a landlord at all.

Mr. Joerger also referred to work my wife and I requested be done on the home we were renting. That request was made in writing to Mr. Joerger. Mr. Joerger did not ever respond to our request. Therefore the matter was finished. My wife and I lived in this home for two years before moving to another home down the street.

I also found Mr. Joerger's references to Mr. John Shea unethical since the matters, to which he referred, were discussed in a Town Board closed session and were therefore not to be discussed publicly, and the agenda for that meeting did not mention any names regarding the closed session discussion.

I am available to clarify any issues, if necessary. I do not wish to engage in any kind continued dialogue regarding this matter. My letter is simply my way to correct what I consider false and misleading information.

DON RUST

Pahrump Town Board

Just the facts

Mr. Mark Smith of the Pahrump Valley Times and Mr. Joe Richards of the Mirror newspaper have both written articles in their papers which basically state that I, Louis J. DeCanio, have started rumors concerning the integrity of the clerk's office and vote counting here in Nye County.

It is the right of every citizen to have an honest, fair and transparent vote count and if having independent vote count monitors upsets the county clerk, then maybe it's time to replace Sandra Merlino with someone who is willing to be more open and transparent to the public.

The facts are that no one was close enough to see any candidate's name or vote totals, and also there were no absentee ballots verified or counted here in Pahrump.

To sum things up, no independent people were able to see anything from where they had to stand behind the counter.

This was another secret vote count, and the people behind the counter were nothing more than an alibi to make it appear as though the vote count was being monitored.

I have my own theory as to why things are done in secret, and as the old saying goes, "if you're not a part of the solution, then you must be part of the problem."

If there is nothing to hide, then why would independent monitors be kept away from the vote count process.

Casinos have drawings for cash and prizes and the winning tickets are always drawn in full view of the public, with surveillance cameras and other monitors to show the public that everything was done fair and honest, because when you have nothing to hide, then monitors are always welcomed.

Why can't this procedure be used in our elections?

Secret vote counts will always create controversy, and it's that simple.

Mr. Smith also wanted to know if I would ever be a candidate for political office again here in Pahrump.

Well, that would be like having a losing ticket on a horse race and then making the same bet on the video replay. No thanks.

LOUIS J. DECANIO