The Pershing County Economic Development Authority (PCEDA) met this week with new member Wendy Nelsen joining returning board members Bonnie Skoglie and Connie Gottschalk. LeeAnn Gallagher attended from the audience, and Chris Brandon with the Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) participated online.
The group discussed board vacancies, meeting schedules, and how to make participation easier for the working public.
Outgoing member V Jay has moved, and the board will be asking to remove Dave Skelton for lack of participation.
“We need an active board,” Skoglie said. “We need all hands on deck to make this work.”
The board agreed it needs more members and discussed outreach to fill open seats before the start of the new year.
In a move aimed at encouraging community involvement, members voted to move future meetings from weekday afternoons to 5:30 p.m. starting with the January 12, 2026 meeting.
“I’ve been approached by multiple people who said they’d love to participate, they want to help and share ideas, but two o’clock in the middle of the day just doesn’t work for them,” Skoglie said.
Others agreed that later meetings would make it easier for business owners, residents, and younger professionals to attend. “We need to make it accessible,” Nelsen said. “A lot of people can’t just run from work to a meeting and back again.”
The next meeting will be held Monday, January 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the Round Room at the Pershing County Courthouse.
Members also discussed improving communication between PCEDA, local government partners, and the public. Rachel Dahl, publisher of The Pershing Post and a supporter of county economic development efforts, offered to include community meeting and event information in the paper.
“Just get a hold of me and let me know what you want in there,” Dahl said. “We would love to run a monthly community calendar or highlight local projects in progress.”
The idea sparked enthusiasm from the board, who plan to coordinate with Channel 14 and develop a regular event calendar to share with residents.
“That would be so good,” Gallagher said. “We could save part of the rec board ad space each month for community events.”
During public input, Gallagher thanked the board for its ongoing work and expressed optimism about the direction the organization is taking.
“I’m just pleased that we’re progressing,” she said. “Fiscal responsibility with other people’s money is important to me. I don’t know if I’ll solve anything, but you all know I’m willing to serve and do the work.”
The next PCEDA meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Round Room.
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