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Commissioners approve golf tourney, hear firefighting helicopter proposal

Gregory Crofton

The month of May is the time to play golf and raise money for cancer research in honor of Milos “Sharkey” Begovich, who owned Sharkey’s Casino before he died from cancer in 2002.

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners met Thursday and voted to approve a resolution to host the second annual Sharkey Begovich Memorial Swing for a Cure Golf Tournament on May 15 at Carson Valley Golf Course.

“This means the whole world to our family,” said Mary Richardson, Sharkey’s granddaughter who accepted a mounted resolution from the commissioners.



The tournament raised $25,000 in its first year. The money benefited the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation for cancer programs and construction of a new cancer center. The cancer center is under construction.

“Sharkey did so much for our community, now he’s doing this for Northern Nevada,” said Kelly Kite, chairman of the commission. “You can see the walls (of the cancer center) going up – it’s no longer a pipe dream, it’s reality. This community really pulls together sometimes and it makes me proud to live here. This is one of them.”



Also on Thursday, the commissioners:

n Approved the placing of advisory question on the Sept. 7 primary election ballot regarding an increase in utility fees to finance a senior citizen’s center, community recreation center and cultural performing arts center in the Carson Valley. The fee increase would also finance a senior citizen’s center and county library at Kahle Park at Lake Tahoe. The voters’ response will determine whether the county continues to pursue those projects.

n Voted to support the first reading of an ordinance to make Minden residents responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks in front of their property. The final vote on the ordinance is scheduled June 3.

“If we do pass this, do we have the legal authority to enforce it?” Kite asked.

“The answer is an unequivocal ‘Yes,'” said George Keele, attorney for the town of Minden.

Residents with questions about the proposed ordinance should contact the town of Minden or Tom Perkins at the District Attorney’s Office, said Dan Holler, Douglas County manager.

n Did not discuss the issue of touch screen voting machines as planned because Barbara Reed, county clerk, did not attend the meeting.

n Heard a presentation by U.S. Forest Service Carson District Ranger Gary Schiff about an effort to get a helicopter designed to fight fires and station it in the Carson-Tahoe area. Schiff said that the state forester, Steve Robinson, has requested funding for the helicopter, which can drop 2,000 gallons of water, during trips to Washington, D.C.

n Approved an agreement regarding a ladder truck owned by the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District. Tahoe-Douglas, which recently bought a new ladder truck, has agreed to sell its old one to the East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts for $35,000 as long Tahoe-Douglas can have access to it if needed. A new ladder truck costs about $650,000.

East Fork Fire Chief Tod Carlini said the 1974 ladder truck will be kept at the district’s Johnson Lane fire station.

“I think this is a win-win,” Carlini said. “Rather than Tahoe-Douglas trading it in, it’s better to keep it in the county. They don’t have a place to keep it and we do.”

– Gregory Crofton can be reached at (530) 542-8045 or by e-mail at gcrofton@tahoedailytribune.com


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