Carson City RACC approves funding for special events

The Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee (RACC) approved money for several special events while tabling one application for funding and bumping another decision up to the Carson City Board of Supervisors.

RACC approved $10,000 for the Carson City Fair, now being organized by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

The fair was originally put on by the city in 2014 and 2015 using a third-party operator.

But the free event cost the city money and then the Nevada State Fair started up again after being dormant for six years and came to Mills Park in June.

So the Board of Supervisors in March 2016 voted to cancel the local event, but directed staff to work on finding partners to continue it.

Now, after a year off, the livestock and agricultural event is scheduled to return to Fuji Park on July 27-30.

The four-day event will again feature 4-H and Future Farmers of America livestock shows and auction, carnival rides, food vendors, arts and crafts booths, and live entertainment.

The approved $10,000 was allocated from RACC’s current year budget because the money will be used for advertising and other needs before the event and before the new fiscal year starts in July.

From the 2018 budget, RACC approved $6,500 for Advocates to End Domestic Violence for the Taste of Downtown event and $7,500 for the Nevada Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program’s 4th of July fireworks.

But the committee tabled a request for $16,000 to create a downtown event venue on Arlington Square.

The applicant was the Downtown Business Association, but Derek Sheldon, director of systems, Carson Nugget, presented it and took questions.

The purpose, he said, is to install a semi-permanent, fully-equipped stage, tents, and seating on the square to be sued from Memorial Day to Nevada Day.

He estimated the venue if totally built out could accommodate up to 2,000 people for live special events.

Sheldon said the Nugget had plans for three to four events and the space would be made available to any nonprofit or event organizer who wanted to use it for the cost of the electricity.

Sheldon said the Nugget planned to commit $16,000 to the project and the Hop & Mae Adams Foundation would contribute an amount to be determined as need. Any additional funding from RACC, he said, would help make the venue bigger.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions here. I know it was put together very quickly, but there’s not a lot of the detailed information that we’ve always required before allocating money,” said Committee Member Ronni Hannaman.

The committee decided to give the applicant another month to deliver a more complete package, including a schedule of events, and present again at a special June 5 RACC meeting.

The committee also decided to push a decision on whether to allow a food cart outside Mom & Pop’s Diner up to the Board of Supervisors.

Doug Cramer, the restaurant’s owner, applied for a permit to operate a cart on the south side of the eatery to sell hot dogs, hamburgers, and other foods prepared and packaged inside Mom & Pop’s and sold outside.

RACC has the authority and existing municipal code addresses food carts, but the supervisors on Thursday will hear a second reading of a new encroachment permit that will also be required to operate the cart.

There is some concern that McFadden Plaza is getting too crowded so RACC decided to pass the decision to the supervisors who will be overseeing how best to balance businesses use of the new plaza.