Crowell, Bagwell to attend White House Convention

The Board of Supervisors will be reduced to three members this week as Mayor Bob Crowell and Supervisor Lori Bagwell head to Washington, D.C. to attend the Nevada Local Elected Officials’ White House Convention.

“The purpose of this event is to develop a working relationship between the White House/federal agencies and the county commissioners and legislators of Nevada,” according to the event invitation.

Both Crowell and Bagwell were looking forward to the trip.

“Carson City is not only the capital of Nevada, it is one of the few combined municipalities in the United States. The invitation from the White House presents a unique opportunity to talk about Carson City and its plans for the future with the President, his staff and our congressional delegation, all in the same room,” said Crowell. “I intend to express the importance of our TIGER grant application as well as our other infrastructure needs, including roads. I also intend to extend an invitation to the President and his staff to visit our community and see the progress we have been making towards ensuring our community’s sustainability for the 21st century and beyond.”

The TIGER grant is the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant. Carson City has applied for $8 million to redo Carson Street between 5th Street and Fairview Drive as part of its South Carson Street Complete Streets project.

“I agree with the Mayor,” said Bagwell. “Additionally, this gives me the opportunity to meet with other counties to learn about the challenges they also face and to explore various solutions.”

Carson City didn’t initially receive an invitation to the event, but city staff contacted the White House after elected officials from nearby counties were invited.

The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment on why the invitation was delayed.

Although Carson City is listed among Nevada’s 17 counties, it’s technically a consolidated municipality and has been since 1969 when Ormsby County and Carson City merged.

Thursday’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting agenda is relatively brief. It includes the second reading of an ordinance approving the developers agreement with Lompa Ranch developers as well as the first reading of an ordinance amending the Schulz Ranch agreement.

The Lompa Ranch agreement includes mitigation fees to fund the land purchase for a new elementary school and for a new fire equipment or facility.

The Schulz Ranch amendment requires the developers to have completed construction of a park there by the time the 250th building permit is issued. That was what was called for in the initial agreement but it was later lowered to 210 permits when the scope of the development was reduced. The Parks and Recreation Commission recently heard a request from Lennar Homes, the builder, to bump it back up to 250 permits because of faster than anticipated home sales. The commission voted to recommend the change to the Board of Supervisors.

The board will also vote whether to approve the purchase of 25 vehicles from Michael Hohl Motor Co. and Capital Ford for $982,561.17.

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