Wendy Barnett, Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada regional manager, said the Nye County commissioners have probably doomed the project to acquire $250 million in economic stimulus funds to complete water and sewer infrastructure in the valley.

She hoped the commissioners would partner with her company on the request.

Utilities Inc. was turned down by the Pahrump Town Board in a similar request last week, a fact county commissioner Joni Eastley quickly brought up.

Barnett said the money could be used to upgrade water systems to meet fire ratings; provide service to unserviceable lots left by Preferred Equities Corporation; and allow Utilities Inc. to start projects to reuse water for public facilities like the Calvada Eye, the fairgrounds and parks.

"It's not about capping wells. Most of the domestic wells in Pahrump are outside our certified territory, and UICN has no say about them whatsoever," Barnett said.

The investment would bring a lot to jobs to Pahrump for people like surveyors and pipe layers, she said.

"This project will probably take 18 months to two years, so it's going to happen really fast. We hope to hire a lot of local contractors," Barnett said. "We're fortuante enough that we have two pipe companies in town that can supply pipe."

But Eastley asked, "Since the town of Pahrump already indicated they do not wish to support this and will not partner wth you on the request, why would it do any good to have Nye County give its blessing?"

Barnett said she'd go back to the Pahrump Town Board with another request if the county commission approved.

A few residents spoke in opposition.

Bill Kerr said his parents in California used to raise a cow and chickens, but lost all that when city water was extended to their property.

"I moved here because there was very, very, little infrastructure, and at the time, very little zoning, although that's changed somewhat. There are a whole bunch of individualists who moved here for that reason and want to remain as self-sufficient as possible," Kerr said.

"There are some of us here who feel the world is full of chaos and even crumbling to the ground, and some of us who have even stronger feelings, who feel we're heading into a Mad Max scenario. This is their slice of heaven so to speak. They moved here to get away from all the challenges that other areas place on them," he said.

John Koenig noted Seemoore's Too was forced to close due to a recent rate increase by Utilities Inc., charging businesses by the drain.

"I have a trust problem No. 1. No. 2, I think this is a plain, old-fashioned money grab," Koenig said. "You're looking to improve a fluorishing business on the taxpayer dime."

Commissioner Butch Borasky said Utilities Inc. will gain $250 million in equity that they will eventually turn around and sell to the county for a municipal water and sewer system.

"There's been no comment about Utilities Inc. lowering the rates for anybody if they should get this $250 million," Borasky said.

He noted while Utilities Inc. won't require residents on water wells to hook up to the new pipelines, the state could require it once they are installed.

Borasky made the motion to deny the request.

After the vote about two dozens members of the audience, many of them members of the Concerned Citizens for a Safe Community, applauded.

Commissioners again rejected a request from Pahrump Town Manager Bill Kohbarger to help pay for a University of Nevada, Reno study on incorporating Pahrump.

Commissioners Dec. 2 tabled a request to fund $29,000 of the $39,000 study to see if there was grant money available. The town of Pahrump offered to pay $10,000.

"I just wanted to see if you found any grant funding," Kohbarger asked.

"Nope," was the quick response from Eastley.

Kerr again came to the microphone.

"How many times do we have to defeat this in a vote?" he demanded. "How many times do we have to spend more money studying this? How many more times does this have to be discussed?"

Pahrump voters turned down incorporation three times at the polls by a margin of two-to-one, most recently in November 2000.

Koenig suggested incorporation proponents get together to fund the study themselves.

Incorporation Committee Chairman Darce Wilson said last December the UNR study could confirm or deny speculations or accusations surrounding Pahrump incorporation. Committee member Allen Parker said the board presented a feasibility study on incorporation but their work came to a grinding halt when county commissioners last July 1 elected not to even make a motion to put a non-binding question on incorporation on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Walt Kuver, a county consultant with Directed Solutions, suggested another task be added to the proposal: studying the fiscal impact of Pahrump incorporation on Nye County.

Commissioners declined to make a motion.