Supes approve $156.4 million city budget

The Board of Supervisors held a quick meeting on Monday to approve Carson City’s fiscal year 2019 budget.

Total revenue is projected to be $156.4 million and total expenses $154 million. The budget includes $6 million set aside for reserves.

The board approved the tentative budget at its April 19 meeting, at which they it approved a reorganization of the Public Works department that added back a position for deputy director and split the utility manager job into two positions, one to oversee water and the other to manage waste water.

At its May 3 meeting, the board also approved changes to the Community Development department, eliminating two positions and creating a new position of associate planner.

Those departmental changes were incorporated in the final budget approved by the board, said Jason Link, chief financial officer.

The city is also working to add money to streets maintenance through a change to the V&T special infrastructure fund. The fund was set up to service the debt on bonds for the V&T Railroad, but generates more money than is needed so between $350,000 to $400,000 annually will be moved from there to help pay for road repairs.

To do so, the city has to change the plan of expenditure for the fund and amend an ordinance, which requires at least two more meetings, said Nancy Paulson, deputy city manager.

Supervisor John Barrette, who’s advocating for the additional money for roads, voted no on the tentative budget because the change wasn’t included, but he voted yes on the final budget saying the move to add money to streets was in the works.

The board also set the ad valorem tax rate for Cooperative Extension at 1.28 cents per $100 of assessed value, the same as the current rate.

Convening as the Redevelopment Authority, the supervisors approved the $2.34 million Redevelopment Authority budget, which includes $350,000 for Curry Street improvements now under construction and $241,000 for project to replace seats in the Bob Boldrick Theater at the Carson City Community Center.