The four candidates running for Carson City Mayor, from left, are Chris Carver, Jerry Cinani, Bob Crowell and Kurt Meyer participated in a forum hosted by the Carson City Chamber on Tuesday night.
The four candidates running for Carson City mayor discussed downtown development, deferred maintenance and other topics Tuesday at a forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.
Chris Carver, Jerry Cinani, current Mayor Bob Crowell and Kurt Meyer spoke to a nearly full house at the Brewery Arts Center’s Performance Hall.
They answered questions and spoke on issues ranging from infrastructure costs to what they would do on their first day in office.
All made their case for citizens’ votes in their opening statements.
“As mayor, I would instill a new vision of Carson City at the board, a vision of economic growth, vitality and opportunity,” said Cinani, who has lived in Carson City for 35 years. “I would promote growth through new medium-sized businesses with well paying jobs.”
Cinani said those businesses would also provide the answer for downtown.
“The problem with downtown is we don’t have enough here with money to go downtown and buy anything,” he said. “We need the people to create a market for those businesses.”
Cinani said redevelopment dollars, which are concentrated along Carson Street, haven’t been spread around enough.
“The east corridor has really been left out without much attention or funds,” Cinani said. “It will become more important as we see the impact of things like Tesla.”
Meyer said the city needed to work on its curbside appeal.
“I believe tourism is an essential part of Carson City,” said Meyer, who worked for the city’s Parks, Recreation & Open Space department for 25 years. “Young people will visit and say what a great town this is. There are trails here for us and Lake Tahoe is truly in our backyard. They’ll come to Carson City and possibly open businesses here.”
In terms of infrastructure, Meyer said new development should pay for itself.
“There may be impact fees imposed on these developers,” he said. “They need to be held to task.”
Meyer said the city needs to take better care of its venues and commit more to capital improvements.
“We built a beautiful aquatic facility,” he said. “Now the roof is leaking and the pool needs work.”
Carver said development needs to be better managed.
“I would promote responsible growth instead of the high-density projects the board has approved,” he said in his opening remarks.
Carver said the city needs to get a handle on its aging infrastructure.
“We’ve deferred maintenance for so long we’re managing by crisis and that’s a bad way to do policy,” he said.
Carver promised to work to build confidence and trust in city government on his first day as mayor.
“I talk to folks every day that tell me city hall doesn’t listen to them,” he said. “I’d sit down with the city manager and figure out a game plan to restore that confidence. Then I’d meet with the financial manager to see how to fix infrastructure without raising taxes.”
Crowell said he sees no need to either raise taxes or utility rates to pay for the infrastructure and needed maintenance.
“Prior to me becoming mayor we reduced our (water) rates, I have no idea why,” he said. “When I became mayor there was no more road to kick the can down because there was a cliff.”
That’s when the city implemented a five-year plan to raise rates to fix the aging waste water treatment facility.
In his opening statement, Crowell talked about when he first entered the office, when property values were plummeting and city staff had to be cut by 100 due to the recession. Since then, the new Multi-Athletic Center has been built, a new animal shelter is almost completed and the waste water plant is being refurbished, he said.
“We’re sprucing up downtown to be a place to go to and not through,” Crowell said. “We’ve maintained our credit rating, there’s an entrepreneur center downtown and, yes, we have a ship named the Carson City.”
The forum was moderated by Nevada Appeal Editor Adam Trumble.
Early voting for the primary election begins Saturday at the Carson City Courthouse from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The primary election is Tuesday, June 14.