WINNEMUCCA – The Humboldt County Commission voted to assist the Nevada Mulies with up to $10,000 for the rehabilitation of lands destroyed by fire over the summer. The vote came at the regular meeting of the commission on Monday (Nov. 21)

Commissioner Tom Fransway voted nay explaining the project really belonged to the federal government – not the county government—and as such the federal government was responsible for footing the bill.

Nevada Mulies, represented by Jim Rackley, were before the commissioners before in their efforts to raise money and equipment for reseeding of the Hot Spring Range where the Santa Rosa mule deer spend the winter.

Rackley explained both the federal government and private donors were pulling their resources in an effort to get the land reseeded.  The donors included Newmont, Cashman Equipment, Nevada's Mulies Midas and Reno and the Chukkar Foundation.

There was also discussion the money budgeted by the BLM would not be sufficient nor would there be sufficient personnel for such a large job.

Commissioner Jim French, who retired from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, explained the window of opportunity for rehabbing the land was closing. If action wasn’t taken soon, invasive weeds would move in.

It’s not that Commissioner Fransway disagreed with any of that, but he felt allowing private groups to approach country government for money for federal projects set a bad precedent that would come back to haunt them in the future. He said the BLM needed to do a better job, and that included their fire-suppression efforts.

The other commissioners felt there was a misunderstanding and the money they were contributing was for those burned areas of the Hot Spring Range on private land, which the BLM was not responsible for. As County Administrator Bill Deist noted, there was no precedence setting there; the county had a history of contributing to rehabilitation on private lands following devastating wild fires.

French said while he agreed approaching the county government for funds should be the area of last resort, in this case the county had a lot at stake. He pointed out the area was not only important for grazing, but it was lso essential habitat.

Commission Chairman Garley Amos agreed and added the area was important economically and the ranchers who lived in the area contribute to the coffers through their taxes.

The motion passed 4-1 with Fransway voting against. The motion by French was made in such a way Nevada Mulies would bring the bills for seed to the county to be paid – as opposed to just issuing a check.

Additionally, the motion encouraged the Mulies to buy forage koshia seed. Although more expensive, therefore not the preferred seed of the federal government, it is produced locally, is higher in protein, and is resilient.