Senator Amodei briefs city supervisors on state legislative goals

Cooperative projects where "ongoing attention to detail" is apparent are expected to have better chances to be funded during the 2007 session of the Nevada Legislature, said Sen. Mark Amodei, who represents the Capitol District.

Funding from the state for a variety of local needs is expected to be sharply limited because of declining revenues.

"The buzzword is regionalism," Amodei said.

This allows for optimism about the joint-use recreation center obtaining state funds, said City Manager Linda Ritter.

The center, proposed for land at Western Nevada Community College, requires funding from the state to make up the college's $8 million to $10 million portion for construction and would be operated by both parties. Current state-funding priorities are focused more on prisons and other college-system projects than on WNCC.

State-funding sources for cities and counties expected to be in the works for the 2007 session were highlighted among an array of topics brought before the Carson City supervisors on Thursday. The session begins Feb. 5.

Amodei suggested that cities consider trying for "one-shot" funds for capital needs. Finding ways to fund these expenses are a continuing priority for the city, said Ritter.

Mayor Marv Teixeira told Ritter that capital-projects funding needed prioritizing, and that it's important the city put money aside so these expenses can be covered even when revenues are short.

Teixeira said while one-shot funds "offer some opportunities," one of his funding concerns related to the upcoming session is unfunded mandates.

Amodei said other topics of local interest that could come up include strengthening methamphetamine-related prosecutions and user treatment, reviewing the functions and challenges facing members of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and allowing toll roads and traffic-control cameras.

Ritter said the supervisors will establish their list of city operating goals and legislative priorities during the new year.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.

In other business, supervisors:

• Approved the application for Mills Landing, a planned-unit, mixed-use development to be built near Mills Park, and the open-space subdivision map for the Summerhawk housing development near Curry and Rhodes streets. They denied the request for higher-density residential zoning on two parcels in the 1400 block of Koontz Lane.

• Accepted the new cable franchise agreement with Charter Communications that provides money for public-access cable television operations - $200,000 and $40,000 in infrastructure improvements.

• Gave City Manager Linda Ritter a favorable job-performance review. No raise or bonus was linked to this review; she makes $120,000 a year.

• Accepted a report about obtaining control of federal land in the 5900 block of Highway 50 East being used erroneously by Capital City Loan. Acquisition of the land by the city - used by business owner and former Bill Burnaugh as if it were his own and not in accord with federal stipulations - is expected to take about six months.

• Named two people to fill vacancies on the Regional Transportation Commission. Current member Larry Hastings will serve two more years. Russ Carpenter was appointed to his first two-year term.