Advisory Committee Information
Citizen participation on Douglas County advisory committees serves two important purposes: residents are directly involved in their local government and can positively impact the future of their community, and the Board of Commissioners receives timely input and information regarding issues and potential impacts.
Advisory committees for the County are generally standing bodies established by the Board and appointed by the Board to provide on-going citizen input to major policy areas. Some committees are established as required by the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and have duties prescribed by law. Appointments vary in length, and the terms are staggered to provide for continuity. The responsibilities of the members generally include:
1) Provide on-going recommendations to the Board and staff concerning specific program areas.
2) Holding public meetings to solicit community input on current issues.
3) Identifying issues which the advisory committee feels should be addressed by the Board or staff.
In keeping with Douglas County’s philosophy of citizen involvement, the Board appoints citizens to committees to assist it in formulating county policy, and carrying out responsibilities delineated in NRS. The strength and success of the Douglas County government is to a large degree reflective of the quality of services performed by these volunteers.
Within the County structure, many committees equally serve in an advisory capacity to the Board. Those committees are:
911 Surcharge Advisory Committee
Airport Advisory Committee
Genoa Historic District Commission
Parks and Recreation Commission
Ratemaking Committee
Senior Services Advisory Council
Water Conveyance Advisory Committee
Other committees within the County structure are appointed by the Board, but have duties and reporting responsibilities prescribed by NRS. Those committees are:
Board of Equalization
Carson Water Subconservancy District
Douglas County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife
Law Library
Library Board of Trustees
Planning Commission
Regional Transportation Commission
In late Fall of each year, the County Manager’s Office solicits applications from interested residents for appointment/reappointment to advisory committee openings that will occur in January of the next year. Contact the County Manager’s Office at (775) 782-9821 for an application and additional information.
The Manager’s Office generally provides a Volunteer Board Advisory Training in the first part of each year once appointments are made. At training the staff members discuss and provide new advisory board members with resources such as "The Douglas County Handbook for Effective Boards and Committees", "Easy Rules for Ethics" and information regarding compliance with the Open Meeting Law.
For a full listing of the Advisory Committees click here.