Lovelock residents can still get documents notarized at City Hall at no charge, at least through
fall. After a short discussion during their regular September 3 meeting, the council agreed to
keep notary services free and revisit the question of fees on December 1. Staff said the service
takes about 10 minutes per customer and hasn’t yet strained workloads, though one incoming
staff notary cautioned that volume can spike and may eventually require appointments for large
jobs. The city added two new notaries this summer and expects a third to start October 1.
Public Works reported on a recent SCATS (Nevada Safety Consultation and Training Section)
walkthrough of the city shop. Many items were minor, missing signs, blocked extinguishers,
worn cords, and housekeeping and are already corrected. A handful remain on the punch list:
guards for specific cutting/grinding tools, replacing plastic gas cans with approved metal safety
cans, bringing vehicle lifts back into service after overdue inspections, and catching up on
monthly testing of exit/emergency lights. Staff said costs should be modest and that the next
safety focus will be the sewer plant once the shop list is cleared.
The council approved new procedures for invoice approval and documentation, aimed at
tightening internal controls without slowing day-to-day operations. A companion policy
establishing contract-approval thresholds was discussed but tabled; city attorney, Sean Rowe,
will recommend dollar amounts so routine business can proceed administratively while larger or
non-routine items still come to the council.
Under the recently adopted weed/nuisance ordinance, the first round of notices will be mailed by
week’s end. Property owners will have 10 days to address violations before the city steps in,
prioritizing the worst cases and highly visible corridors first. Council members discussed
“chunking” the effort into manageable zones and posting a public explainer on the city’s
Facebook page so residents understand the process and timeline. The city attorney advised
against posting photos that identify individual properties without permission.
Business on the books
Clerk’s staff provided year-to-date lists of new business licenses and building permits, noting a
steady pace of activity since January. The council liked the idea of publicly welcoming new
businesses (it’s public record) so long as all are included in any recap to avoid favoring some
over others.
City crews: curbs, lights, and lots of fixes.
Public Works has been cleaning gutters and drainage, painting red curbs (more paint is on order),
and picking up debris piles residents have placed curbside. A stop sign knocked down by a
tractor-trailer was replaced. Crews are troubleshooting streetlights near McDonald’s and skate
park lighting, installing “No Parking in Alley” signs to match city code, and working through
several sewer plant items after recent thunderstorms caused power bumps. The sodium
hypochlorite tank has been temporarily moved outside so the interior room can be cleaned and
repainted.
Fleet maintenance remains busy: an older dump truck needs transmission/steering work; the
animal control truck has a brake issue; a mechanic’s truck is still being diagnosed; a backup
garbage truck is usable but has hydraulic leaks; and the vintage ladder truck is sidelined pending
certification. Staff are also hunting for new 3-yard dumpsters (harder to source as most vendors
now build for front-load trucks).
Police reported that new officer Lawrence Finley has completed online POST requirements and
passed his physical fitness test. Once the state’s computer systems allow, he’ll take the state
certification exam; the goal is to have him solo by October. Another officer is expected to be
back to duty shortly. The department is still recruiting for one more position.
The council also set a brief CDBG special meeting for next week to satisfy a grant-hearing
requirement, with staff to post the notice and agenda. The railroad has cleared weeds and finished
tie-replacement staging on its property, and remaining stacks will be hauled away. In parks,
crews are trimming trees, checking bathrooms twice daily, and queuing a repair for a small-park
water fountain. Animal Control hiring drew about seven applicants, and interviews will be
scheduled.
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