Carson City Rotarians tag-teamed by Furlong, Marano

Carson City City Manager Nick Marano and Sheriff Ken Furlong provided both comic relief and serious statements Tuesday as substitute speakers at Carson City’s Rotary luncheon.

Pinch-hitting for no-show state Sen. James Settelmeyer of District 17, the pair talked of what was generally a good year regarding both crime and city progress. Furlong did, however, decry the shooting death of Deputy Carl Howell in 2015.

Noting the deputy’s death stemmed from a shootout in response to a domestic violence call, the sheriff said something can and is being done about lessening such danger. He said such cases often are tied to substance abuse and home life strife.

“We want do something about this,” he asserted, at the same time praising non-profits such as Ron Wood Resource Center and civic groups like the Rotary Club for helping combat poverty or helping with education and community service.

“You’re changing lives,” he said, “whether you can see it or not.”

In other remarks, however, Furlong played the clown as Marano commented on city government’s projects and related initiatives, including a downtown makeover. When the sheriff wasn’t cracking jokes himself, he offered straight man setup lines.

Marano, meanwhile, urged Rotarians who hadn’t been to the MAC, or multi-purpose athletic center, to use the walking track there, talked about construction of the new animal shelter and shared a nugget of news related to the downtown’s project.

He said money from those putting up the cost of benches in the downtown — funds being sought by the Chamber of Commerce from citizens, businesses or organizations — will go toward match with any grants available for public art.

Furlong not only served up straight lines for humor, but threw an occasional softball Marano’s way. He mentioned housing projects on the horizon, prompting the city manager to talk of Schulz Ranch and Lompa Ranch North subdivision prospects.

“We’re on the upswing,” Marano added after those subdivision remarks.

“Were definitely not out of the woods yet,” he said, but noted many economic measurements are pointing in the right direction — upward.

For example, Marano said, taxable sales are coming in generally at 10 percent higher over time. He termed that a “good gauge of where the general health of the economy is.”

Marano didn’t let Furlong hog the whole humor show.

The city manager said an initiative is coming to cut city government energy usage by up to 35 percent, attributing it partly to efficiencies and alternative power sources, and then, in jest, added: “We’re basically just going to shut the jail off.”