Steam & Excursion > NNRy Director Mark Bassett's review of last week's brea

Mark Bassett's Point of View piece in the paper recounts last week's raid by the city council, along with some good background information:

http://www.elynews.com/2014/09/05/point-view-11/

This issue of the paper also has an interview with the mayor, and stories on the sheriff's finding of no illegality and the filing of recall petitions for all city council members.

A well written response.

Martin

Sounds like a real NIGHTMARE!

My gosh, they are audited every year and the city gets a copy of it. What on earth is wrong with that!

Hello

Like I stated last week, Good old fashion North Nevada politics.


Chris

Is Mark the same fellow who is seen periodically having equipment restored on the reality show--American Restoration with Rick Dale in Las Vegas?

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

livesteamer Wrote:
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> Is Mark the same fellow who is seen periodically
> having equipment restored on the reality
> show--American Restoration with Rick Dale in Las
> Vegas?


Yes.

Can any one here knowledgeably describe the NN Museum's ownership and governing structure. I used to know but have forgotten, or at least don't trust my memory. Who does Mark report to, and how does whoever he reports to get appointed or elected. etc. I would also echo some others who have suggested we should wait until all the facts are known before making any judgement calls. Something is wrong and the sad thing is the museum is not robust enough to withstand a whole lot of bad stuff, regardless who is a fault. I think a lot of us are rooting for Mark, but let's wait and see.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/14 14:59 by jbwest.

I will be willing to bet the forensic auditor numbers will not even come to close to matching Marks numbers. The city managers have been asking for the financial books and documentation for over a year now from the management board with no cooperation. There was a report that there was a lot of stuff that was deleted off the computer that Mark says isn't working right now. If the financial picture is so great, then that fact that the railroad is $600,000 dollars in debt doesn't make any sense, and that it owes S&S Shortline which hasn't done anything to restore the northern part of the line another $375,000 on top of the $600,000. How does a small museum out in the middle of nowhere gotten that far into debt and how is it going to pay it back????? What has been going on at the NNRy the last Ten years???? Here is the current Ely times article:

http://www.elynews.com/2014/09/12/sheriffs-investigation-finds-council-right-enter-railroad-office/

CS

hinton42 Wrote:
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> Mark Bassett's Point of View piece in the paper
> recounts last week's raid by the city council,
> along with some good background information:

Good background information?? The numbers as told by Mark Bassett, I want to know what the forensic auditor finds out. I will bet his numbers wont match up with Marks. $975,000 dollars in debt according to the Mayor, something isn't adding up here! It should also be noted that the debt figures the mayor is using is from the city's own audit that was done. The debt the railroad owes is not going to be paid back by Mark, or any of the members of the management board. The debt is going to have to be paid back by the City of Ely; which the debt ends up on the backs of the tax payers of Ely.

CS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/14 19:22 by CaliforniaSteam.

It should also be noted that there was employees on the property working on the day the city went into the office, so the railroad was not closed down on that day.

CS

The railroad is held in a foundation that is controlled by the city. The foundation is governed by a management board with its members appointed by the mayor. The previous mayor died earlier this year, and following a special election, the owner of a local sewing store was crowned mayor. She and the current city council are questioning the railroad's finances and that is what the dispute is about.

Last month, two management board members were replaced, and it is expected that three more will be replaced shortly. When that occurs there may very well be a change in management. The way that I look at it is this is the City's baby and they do not need permission from us fans to hire and fire their manager. If the citizens of Ely don't like it they can recall their city council and mayor and elect new city leaders. Mark has been friendly to the railfan world giving us two operating steam locomotives, and hosting the ever so popular winter photo trips. In the end it doesn't matter as whoever has the bigger stick will win. Right now the City Council has the stick and they are preparing to swing.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Interesting that everyone is lawyering-up, as they say. Sounds like this is gonna get real ugly.

The lawyers will love it. And nobody else really counts, now do they?