Third meeting about tax for capital projects set

Interim City Manager Marena Works has added a town hall meeting and made other changes to get public reaction about proposed Carson City capital projects and a sales-tax-hike issue.

Works, who announced two town halls for Jan. 21 and Jan. 29 during Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, later added a third that will be held earlier Jan. 21. Supervisor Jim Shirk had complained times didn’t accommodate some people who must work, and also sought television coverage via community-access TV.

Works made changes so there will be two sessions at Fuji Park on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the first from 9-11 a.m. and the second from 2-4 p.m. Neither will be televised. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, there will be another town hall session at the Community Center from 6-8 p.m.; the final hour of that final session will be televised.

Original plans announced by Works had called just for the 2-4 p.m. session on the first date and a 5-7 p.m. session Jan. 29, with no television coverage involved.

The proposal involves partial financing for a multipurpose athletic center, an animal shelter and financing for city-scape amenities downtown and in three other business corridors. The corridors are on East William Street/U.S. Highway 50 East, and on North and South Carson Street. Financing would be via a one-eighth-of-a-penny hike in the city sales tax, but a vote on the projects and tax boost won’t come before February.

Works said the first hour of each town hall will be held open house-style with project displays and someone to answer questions, while the second hour will involve a group setting with people encouraged to make public comments on their reactions at microphones.