Notes from
“State of the State of Silver City, Nevada” by Town Advisory Chair Erich Obermayr at the meeting of the regional nonprofit, Healthy Communities Coalition, in August of 2011, at the Silver City Volunteer Library
Good morning; thank you for the invitation.
When Quest invited me, she said I should give something like a “state of the state” talk—for Silver City. Since Quest is from Silver City, and you’re using our building—I guess you’re going to hear about Silver City.
And because you’re all obviously interested in community in a much wider sense I hope I can leave you with something—a picture--to compare your own communities with—or even your own ideas of community.
First of all Silver City is a very special and utterly unique community—we share that quality with Dayton, Silver Springs, Smith Valley, Moundhouse, Stagecoach—I guess you could say we have our uniqueness in common—if that makes any sense.
But there are a few important things to know about Silver City.
We’re a small community; 170 people in the 2000 census, perhaps 200 now; probably 50 households.
We’re in a clearly defined area—you can tell where Silver City begins and ends--marked politically by the town limits and geographically centered on our little stretch of Canyon, spreading out on the nearby hills and ridges.
We have one commercial establishment, and a number of home businesses—but we’re basically residential. Somehow the term “bedroom” community doesn’t quite fit—maybe it’s the car bodies.
But what about the community? People—in my opinion—make a community. And if there is one word which describes the community and people of Silver City, it would be “empowered.” Both in the way we see ourselves, and in the way others see us.
We do have a well earned reputation, and perhaps an influence in the county beyond what you might expect from a hundred or so registered voters. People in Silver City assume they have power over their lives—and they aren’t half bad at making it work for them. They assume that if they have an idea or see a problem—the next step is getting it done. Working together, or with governments, agencies, etc. We assume it’s up to us.
That’s a very different starting point than thinking you have no power—and having to spend time and energy figuring out how to get it—then trying to get something done.
Participation is the most obvious example. We have from Silver City the Chair of the Lyon County Planning Commission; a member of the Lyon County school board; the Parks advisory board, a member of the Comstock Historic District Commission; the Comstock Cemetery Foundation, not to mention the volunteer fire department, town advisory board, and of course Quest Lakes and others with various civic programs.
I have no idea what draws this kind of person to Silver City. But it’s really true. How does Joe McCarthy end up here? Or whether being here turns them into this kind of person. But it’s true—there are some extraordinary people here and consequently an extraordinary community.
Two examples of what this means.
Nevex
1986
In 1986, the town mounted a professional level response to the request [by Nevex Mining] for a change in land-use designation.[In 1986, Nevex Mining proposed master plan and zoning changes in an attempt to pit mine the same location as CMI now plans to pit mine. In 1986, Lyon County Commissioners listened to Silver City residents and denied the Nevex request, taking into account the devastating effects mining in Silver City would have on residents' lives, health, and property values, not to mention the historic landscape.]
The fire [that destroyed the original Silver City School House and the community's response], which it is safe to say simply never would have happened anywhere else in Nevada, probably not the country. [
"In 2007, Silver City residents were rewarded for their hard work on an archaeological dig at the schoolhouse site with a historic preservation award. The Nevada Historic Preservation awards in 2007 included Silver City resident Ron Reno, PhD, and the town of Silver City, for the dedicated retrieval of thousands of artifacts associated with the remains of the historic schoolhouse."] http://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/2007/04/27/southwest-archaeology-today-for-april-27-2007/
Salvage
Archaeology
Architecture, design
Lobbying—the Board of Commissioners, Bob Mills, did the right thing.
An important point. Even the strongest community does not exist in a political vacuum. Each of these community efforts only succeeded because they persuaded public officials to do act in our interest.
I’ve just scratched the surface of their accomplishments.
And so here we are, happily ever after in Silver City—all empowered---petting our empowered dogs and cats; sending our empowered kids off to school.
Not so fast. There is a third chapter to this—I’ll call it the empowered community meets the empowered mining company.
The facts about Comstock Mining Inc
The firm controls 6,000 acres between Highway 50 and Virginia City
I’m not here to say whether this is good or bad, time will tell.
I can speak to what it means to Silver City.
Silver City.
Exploratory drilling at the Dayton Consolidated
A planned open pit mine. For which they will need a master plan amendment. They have said this.
And I can safely say the community is opposing this. That’s just a matter of counting heads. Ask about pit mining in Silver City—90% against.
This talk is about community—different views and opinions. And most interesting, the mining company is making a conscious effort to make themselves part of the community; one principal has bought the mill and apparently has ideas of turning it into a museum; and they have hired several people who live in Silver City.
But—the guy on the couch—“I’m family.”
Where do we stand? I hate to just end in the middle of the story but it is the middle of the story. It’s not even the middle, actually. Much more toward the beginning. The guy on the couch tells us he’s family, but how long is he going to stay? Does he take showers? Does he play loud music in the middle of the night? Does he eat a lot? We don’t know.
But we do know—what we have to go forward assuming—is that we will face the third great challenge to Silver City. An open pit mine in Silver City would fundamentally alter the nature of the town and the community. We would become an appendage to an industrial operation, with all its incumbent noise, disturbance, activity, etc.—even its economic and political power. The empowerment which defines our community is at risk.
Let me explain—using just one example. You work at your job to buy a house, put in a yard, a place to have a beer, peace and quiet when you want it. And we have that now---it’s basically a very quiet place. But your power to control your own property—to use it in peace and quiet—would be taken away. The work schedule of the mine would dictate when you could or could not enjoy your own property.
On a wider scale, the economic and political priorities of the mine would take precedence over the town. That would strike at the heart of our community.
I don’t know how this is going to end. The mining company is here to stay—we’re here to stay. I don’t even know if there will be a clear cut ending, with a winner and loser. I don’t even know how we get there.
I do know that times like these have always brought out the best in my community, and I don’t plan on being disappointed this time.
So, I hope I’ve left you with some understanding of the state of Silver City—or at least put a picture in your mind so when you hear about us you’ll have an idea of Silver City.
