Carson City supervisors may approve 2018 budget

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday whether to approve the city’s 2018 tentative budget.

The supervisors in April heard a three-hour presentation on the $150.59 million tentative budget and $31.48 million capital improvement plan, and directed staff then to make several minor tweaks, including adding a fire inspector and dropping the Arlington Square ice rink from the budget.

The board will also start to craft policy on recreational marijuana.

On May 8, the Nevada Department of Taxation released temporary regulations on recreational pot, allowing existing medical marijuana dispensaries to apply by May 31 to sell recreational products, too, starting July 1.

City planning staff is recommending the city prepare its own regulations and a fee schedule that mirrors those for medical marijuana businesses.

The board action will be to give staff guidance on developing an ordinance for recreational marijuana establishments.

The supervisors will also hear on first reading an ordinance establishing provisions to levy the Downtown Neighborhood Improvement District assessment after hearing any hardship determinations, complaints or protests first.

The Downtown NID was established last year to assess businesses there to pay a portion of the ongoing maintenance of the recently redone downtown streetscape.

The board will again hear on first reading an encroachment ordinance for downtown businesses. A second reading of the ordinance was heard at the last board meeting, but the supervisors decided to add language to clarify details on the assessed tax on the public right of way encroached on by businesses.

In a related matter, the supervisors will hear a request from Mom & Pop’s Diner owner Doug Cramer to operate a food cart next to the restaurant on McFadden Plaza.

The food cart request was initially heard by the Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee, which decided to pass it to the supervisors for a decision because its closely related to the new encroachment policy.

The board also will vote whether to approve the $224,560 purchase of a new fire department ambulance, to accept a $440,625 grant to be used to write a master plan for the Carson City Airport, and decide if the city has sufficient funds to give the board and other elected officials a bump in salary.

The Board of Supervisors meets Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in the Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.