Nye County Seeks Applicants for Tonopah Area Water Board Vacancy

The Nye County Board of County Commissioners posted a formal notice requesting applications to fill a vacancy on the Nye County Water District Governing Board. "The Nye County Board of County Commissioners are requesting applications from persons interested in filling 1 vacancy on the Nye County Water District Governing Board." The posting specifies that "the vacancy is for a resident from the Tonopah area (Area 2)" and that "this position will expire June 30, 2026."

Applicants must meet conflict-of-interest rules before applying. The posting states that "the applicant or any person related to the applicant within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity must not be affiliated with a private utility that is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada." Applicants also are told to familiarize themselves with the Nye County Water District Act and possess a working understanding of topics that include Open Meeting Law, water rights, storage and conservation, hydrographic basins, domestic wells, and conduit and pipeline operations.

Paper applications are available at the Nye County Clerk’s Office in Tonopah, 101 Radar Road, or at the clerk’s satellite office at 2100 Walt Williams Dr., Ste 200, Pahrump. Residents may also request an application by calling (775) 482-8127. Submission instructions are explicit: "Please submit your applications to the Nye County Clerk’s Office, P.O. Box 1031, Tonopah, Nevada 89049 no later than 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 17, 2026. No applications will be accepted after that date." The county adds that "Nye County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider."

The Water District’s published governing documents and roster provide additional context about the board’s makeup and operations. Statutory composition requires representation from specific areas including Tonopah (Area 2), Beatty/Amargosa (Area 3), Currant Creek/Smoky Valley (Area 1), multiple seats for Pahrump Valley (Area 4), and one Public at Large seat. The district website lists the current board as Vacant, Area 1; Charles "Heath" Miller, Area 2; Edwin Goedhart, Area 3; Bruce Holden, Helene Williams and Ernie Jackson, Area 4; and Michael Lach, Public at Large. Board officers are recorded as Chair Williams, Vice Chair Goedhart and Secretary Holden. Bylaws on file were "signed and adopted by the Nye County Board of County Commissioners on June 19, 2012. And updated by the Nye County Water District Governing Board on 12/14/2020."

The posting and the Water District roster present an apparent timing discrepancy: the vacancy notice identifies an Area 2 opening while the roster lists Charles "Heath" Miller in Area 2. The county posting and the district roster do not resolve that discrepancy. Residents seeking clarity or wishing to apply should confirm the current roster and vacancy status with the Nye County Clerk’s Office at (775) 482-8127 or visit the Clerk’s Office in Tonopah. For Tonopah-area residents, filling this seat affects local oversight of water allocation, conservation and infrastructure decisions that shape domestic wells, irrigation and community development through June 30, 2026. Officials will make appointment decisions after the Feb. 17 deadline, so prospective applicants and interested residents should confirm procedures and any interview schedule with the clerk’s office this week.