Robin Lloyd Advertisement

Robin Lloyd was the most popular speaker at Tuesday's Pahrump Town Board meeting, earning a round of applause after her detailed presentation concerning the trash ordinance, PTO No. 43.

The ordinance will be revised, incorporating Lloyd's changes, and brought back for public comment at the April 28 meeting, when more changes can still be made.

Board member Mike Darby sponsored Lloyd's presentation after she requested the ordinance, which was approved in March, be revisited.

In a letter addressed to board members and Town Manager Bill Kohbarger, Lloyd asked that revisions be made to reflect what the townspeople were told during town board meetings but were not reflected in the approved document.

Lloyd came well prepared and went over each of the 21 pages in the ordinance. Only two or three pages came away unaltered.

In many cases, Lloyd's changes were deemed "housekeeping" by Pahrump's Attorney Rick Campbell as well as the attorney for Pahrump Valley Disposal, Robert Groesbeck.

"We are all for making the document clear," said Grosebeck. "Some of the issues are not issues for PVD but may be issues for the town."

Lloyd said putting someone in jail because the wind blew over his or her garbage can and scattered trash on the roadway was "a little much."

Groesebeck said the penalties "are there for interlopers who come into town and who don't pay money to the town for doing business."

As it turned out, there were enough substantive changes, that once revised, the ordinance must be published in newspapers at a cost from $3,000 to $5,000 for the lengthy document.

One of Lloyd's main points was quoted from a U.S. Supreme Court case law, stating two private parties cannot be forced into a contract with each other.

Therefore, Lloyd said references in the document requiring residents to contract with Pahrump Valley Disposal must be removed. "I don't want people being forced into involuntary subscription," she said.

When explaining another objection to the language in the ordinance, Lloyd said, "Right now, it is unlawful for you to throw a gum wrapper into a public trash can."

The board directed Kohbarger to meet with all attorneys in the recently settled suit, including representatives of Mr. Clean, the firm that was involved in litigation with the town and Pahrump Valley Disposal concerning the town's exclusive contract with PVD.