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FALLON - The Churchill County Commission will review sweeping changes proposed for the county's brothel ordinance, including a 10-fold increase in fees that some say would prohibit any brothels from operating in the county.
The commission on Monday scheduled a Jan. 19 public hearing on the proposed changes.
Numerous changes are being proposed for the law that regulates legal prostitution in Churchill County, including some that are favored by the brothel industry and others that are viewed as too restrictive.
Rusty Jardine, civil deputy district attorney for the county, recommends increasing quarterly fees paid by brothel owners to 10 times what they are now, from $1,500 a quarter for a brothel with up to five prostitutes to $15,000 a quarter. The fee would increase as the number of women working at a business increases.
He states the increase is necessary to pay the cost of law enforcement to ensure laws are being followed. In a report, Jardine said it costs the county $60,000 a year for a deputy to inspect brothels and answer calls for service, and that taxpayers should not subsidize the brothel industry. That cost includes a deputy's salary and benefits.
Currently, there are no open brothels in the county. Salt Wells, 13 miles east of town on Highway 50, closed its doors more than a year ago. Lazy B has been shut for years.
Geoff Arnold, who owns brothels in Wells and Battle Mountain and has been a spokesman for the brothel industry, called the proposed fees "pure lunacy."
He said the new fees would virtually prohibit anyone from operating a brothel in the county because "country brothels" don't make as much money as brothels closer to metropolitan areas. He plans to attend the public hearing to address the issue.
At Arnold's two brothels, he said, deputies check employee work cards and medical exams of the prostitutes once a week, a task that takes two hours at most. The need for law enforcement to respond to calls is minimal, he said.
"Guys don't cause fights in a brothel. They want to make love, not cause war," said Arnold.
He believes county officials generally oppose brothels in Churchill County and are looking for a way around the results of the November election when two-thirds of voters voted in favor of keeping legal prostitution in Churchill County.
"This very well could be a way to eliminate the industry," Arnold said. "Voters overwhelmingly want brothels and $15,000 a quarter is just nuts. ... You might as well kiss brothels good-bye."
Jardine couldn't be contacted, but District Attorney Arthur Mallory said Jardine looked at brothel ordinances in other counties before drafting the proposed changes to the county's brothel law. Mallory said increasing the fees is warranted because of the type of business.
"These types of businesses are high-maintenance. Things can quickly get out of hand," said Mallory. "You don't have the same type of situation at a florist shop, for example. They do not require the same level of enforcement. At brothels there are more rules and regulations to comply with."
Mallory said the brothel industry complained because Churchill County's ordinance is too restrictive, and changes are being suggested to bring the county's laws in line with what other counties require.
"The people have spoken. They want to have brothels," he said. "If anyone thinks the ordinance is in any way unfair, they can challenge it."
He added that one reason for a public hearing is so commissioners can hear from everyone concerned before voting on the amendments.
The commission on Monday scheduled a Jan. 19 public hearing on the proposed changes.
Numerous changes are being proposed for the law that regulates legal prostitution in Churchill County, including some that are favored by the brothel industry and others that are viewed as too restrictive.
Rusty Jardine, civil deputy district attorney for the county, recommends increasing quarterly fees paid by brothel owners to 10 times what they are now, from $1,500 a quarter for a brothel with up to five prostitutes to $15,000 a quarter. The fee would increase as the number of women working at a business increases.
He states the increase is necessary to pay the cost of law enforcement to ensure laws are being followed. In a report, Jardine said it costs the county $60,000 a year for a deputy to inspect brothels and answer calls for service, and that taxpayers should not subsidize the brothel industry. That cost includes a deputy's salary and benefits.
Currently, there are no open brothels in the county. Salt Wells, 13 miles east of town on Highway 50, closed its doors more than a year ago. Lazy B has been shut for years.
Geoff Arnold, who owns brothels in Wells and Battle Mountain and has been a spokesman for the brothel industry, called the proposed fees "pure lunacy."
He said the new fees would virtually prohibit anyone from operating a brothel in the county because "country brothels" don't make as much money as brothels closer to metropolitan areas. He plans to attend the public hearing to address the issue.
At Arnold's two brothels, he said, deputies check employee work cards and medical exams of the prostitutes once a week, a task that takes two hours at most. The need for law enforcement to respond to calls is minimal, he said.
"Guys don't cause fights in a brothel. They want to make love, not cause war," said Arnold.
He believes county officials generally oppose brothels in Churchill County and are looking for a way around the results of the November election when two-thirds of voters voted in favor of keeping legal prostitution in Churchill County.
"This very well could be a way to eliminate the industry," Arnold said. "Voters overwhelmingly want brothels and $15,000 a quarter is just nuts. ... You might as well kiss brothels good-bye."
Jardine couldn't be contacted, but District Attorney Arthur Mallory said Jardine looked at brothel ordinances in other counties before drafting the proposed changes to the county's brothel law. Mallory said increasing the fees is warranted because of the type of business.
"These types of businesses are high-maintenance. Things can quickly get out of hand," said Mallory. "You don't have the same type of situation at a florist shop, for example. They do not require the same level of enforcement. At brothels there are more rules and regulations to comply with."
Mallory said the brothel industry complained because Churchill County's ordinance is too restrictive, and changes are being suggested to bring the county's laws in line with what other counties require.
"The people have spoken. They want to have brothels," he said. "If anyone thinks the ordinance is in any way unfair, they can challenge it."
He added that one reason for a public hearing is so commissioners can hear from everyone concerned before voting on the amendments.
