County Boards and Commissions

Overview
Advisory committees for the county are generally standing bodies established by the board and appointed by the board to provide ongoing citizen input to major policy areas. Some committees are established as required by the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and have duties prescribed by law.

Deciding to serve on an advisory board is a great way to get involved in local government and support your community. Appointments vary in length, and the terms are staggered to provide for continuity. All applicants must be Douglas County residents. Additional information and application forms are available in the County Manager’s office at the Minden Inn, 1594 Esmeralda Avenue – Minden, NV 89423 (782-9821). You can also access the applications for each board on their individual site by clicking on the links to the left of the page. Citizen participation on Douglas County advisory committees serves two important purposes:

The Board of Commissioners receives timely input and information regarding issues and potential impacts.

Residents are directly involved in their local government and can positively impact the future of their community.

Handbook for Effective Boards & Committees
Boards, Committees, and Commissions Policies and Procedures

Committees
Within the county structure, many committees 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 
Senior Services Advisory Council 
VHR Advisory Board
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:

Audit Committee
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
Debt Management

In the 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 form and additional information. 

The County Manager’s Office generally provides a Volunteer Board Advisory Training in the first part of each year once appointments are made. At training, 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.

Appointments
The responsibilities of the members generally include holding public meetings to solicit community input on current issues, identifying issues that the advisory committee feels should be addressed by the board or staff, and providing ongoing recommendations to the board and staff concerning specific program areas.

In keeping with Douglas County’s philosophy of citizen involvement, the board appoints citizens to committees to formulate county policy and carry 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 volunteer advisory committees.

In the 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 form and additional information. 

The County Manager’s Office generally provides a Volunteer Board Advisory Training in the first part of each year once appointments are made. At training, 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.