Planning Director Steve Osborne Advertisement

Nye County Principal Planner Steve Osborne was promoted to planning director by county commissioners Tuesday.

Osborne replaces Jack Lohman, who was terminated April 5 along with Dick Johnson, manager of building safety and code compliance.

The new chief director is a graduate of the University of Arizona. He worked for Yuma County, Ariz., for nine years before taking a job as a planner I with Nye County in 2004. He was promoted to principal planner in 2005. He is not related to County Manager Rick Osborne.

Osborne will oversee a depleted planning department after three employees were laid off due to budget cuts and lack of work. Osborne said he has six employees in Pahrump and a position and a half in Tonopah. He will report to Darrell Lacy, the temporary community development director, who also oversees natural resources, air quality and code compliance.

Osborne said he wants to make the department more user friendly, including letting people apply for some permits on line.

A revised job description also approved by commissioners sets his duties as performing professional level work on difficult projects, preparing agendas, compiling data, preparing and presenting staff reports and recommendations, attending meetings on land development projects, and implementing the comprehensive plan and other policies.

Osborne will serve as the zoning administrator, prepare planning ordinances, coordinate with other government agencies, manage federal airport improvement program grants, oversee consultants, prepare the planning department budget, review plans, work with consultants in developing a geographic information system and oversee the planning department.