Carson City Assemblyman Al Kramer has requested five bills for the upcoming Legislature including two that deal with issues at Clear Creek.
He said the first of those is designed to enable the sale and development of the old Clear Creek Job Corps camp. That 108-acre parcel, he said, is worth much more to the state if rezoned to five acre parcels but that Carson City won’t approve the rezoning until arrangements are made to properly maintain Clear Creek Road.
“Divided into five acre parcels, it’s probably worth somewhere over $2 million,” the first-term Assemblyman said.
The bill would create a fund at NDOT to improve and maintain the road, convincing Carson City to allow the rezoning.
In addition, he has a bill draft that would enable homeowners in the Clear Creek area to pay for maintenance of that road. He said the problem is that Clear Creek properties aren’t just in Carson City but Douglas County as well since the creek runs right along the county line. Kramer said existing law doesn’t allow a tax increment district or improvement district to cross county lines.
He said allowing a bi-county tax district makes sense in places like Clear Creek and also might enable creation of districts to handle such issues in areas like Mound House and where the Washoe-Storey county line runs along the Truckee River.
Kramer said he is also working with residents in the Duck Hill Area at Carson City’s northern border. He said there are about 22 parcels of land that are in Washoe County but the residents want to move the county line to put them in Carson City where they shop and feel that they have social and other ties.
He said residents have told him they can get a piece of paper signed by all the residents on Duck Hill urging support for moving the county line.
Kramer said he is meeting this week with Washoe County Manager John Slaughter and Commissioner Bob Lucey who represents that area to see what their reaction to the idea is.
Kramer said one of his bill drafts would relax some of the restrictions on how the treasurer can invest state money. Those restrictions were put in place nearly 30 years ago when the then-treasurer was unable to define and explain some of the financial instruments he was investing state cash in.
Kramer said allowing the use of repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements would give the treasurer’s office more flexibility in handling state funds.
“It’s a good tool for liquidity,” he said.
Kramer was Carson City Treasurer for 20 years and served as a chief deputy in the state Treasurer’s office before running for the Assembly District 40 seat.
Finally, he has a bill that would relax specific OSHA requirements currently imposed on roofing contractors. He said the change was requested by a contractor who says rules requiring roofers on a single story building to be tied off are onerous since those workers are only eight feet above the ground.
Roofing contractors have said that rule is actually dangerous when you consider that they are dragging air hoses for pneumatic tools, electrical cords for power tools and the harness. With several workers on a roof, those multiple lines can quickly get tangled.
Kramer said those contractors aren’t questioning the need for harnesses on two story and taller buildings, just for the single story roofs.
“If I get a bunch of people who work on a roof tell me it’s a terrible idea, I probably won’t support it,” Kramer said.