1. When the board of county commissioners determines that the lease of real property belonging to the county for industrial, commercial, residential or recreational purposes is necessary or desirable, the board may lease such real property, whether acquired by purchase, dedication or otherwise. Such a lease must not be in contravention of any condition in a gift or devise of real property to the county.

2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 244.279 and 244.2833, before ordering the lease of any property the board shall, in open meeting by a majority vote of the members, adopt a resolution declaring its intention to lease the property. The resolution must:

(a) Describe the property proposed to be leased in such manner as to identify it.

(b) Specify the minimum rental, and the terms upon which it will be leased.

(c) Fix a time, not less than 3 weeks thereafter, for a public meeting of the board to be held at its regular place of meeting, at which sealed proposals to lease will be received and considered.

3. Notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the time and place of holding the meeting must be given by:

(a) Posting copies of the resolution in three public places in the county not less than 15 days before the date of the meeting; and

(b) Publishing the resolution not less than once a week for 2 successive weeks before the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, if any such newspaper is published therein.

4. At the time and place fixed in the resolution for the meeting of the board, all sealed proposals which have been received must, in public session, be opened, examined and declared by the board. Of the proposals submitted which conform to all terms and conditions specified in the resolution of intention to lease and which are made by responsible bidders, the proposal which is the highest must be finally accepted, unless a higher oral bid is accepted or the board rejects all bids.

5. Before accepting any written proposal, the board shall call for oral bids. If, upon the call for oral bidding, any responsible person offers to lease the property upon the terms and conditions specified in the resolution, for a rental exceeding by at least 5 percent the highest written proposal, then the highest oral bid which is made by a responsible person must be finally accepted.

6. A person may not make an oral bid unless, at least 5 days before the meeting held for receiving and considering bids, the person submits to the board written notice of the person’s intent to make an oral bid and a statement establishing the person’s financial responsibility to the satisfaction of the board.

7. The final acceptance by the board may be made either at the same session or at any adjourned session of the same meeting held within the 21 days next following.

8. The board may, either at the same session or at any adjourned session of the same meeting held within the 21 days next following, if it deems such action to be for the best public interest, reject any and all bids, either written or oral, and withdraw the property from lease.

9. Any resolution of acceptance of any bid made by the board must authorize and direct the chair to execute a lease and to deliver it upon performance and compliance by the lessee with all the terms or conditions of the lessee’s contract which are to be performed concurrently therewith.

10. All money received from rentals of real property must be deposited forthwith with the county treasurer to be credited to the county general fund.

11. This section does not apply to leases of real property made pursuant to NRS 244.288, 334.070 or 338.177.

(Added to NRS by 1960, 373; A 1975, 570; 1977, 395; 1983, 525, 1249; 1989, 259, 520, 847; 1995, 157; 2005, 2675; 2011, 487)