Carson City supervisors OK 10-year pact with Nevada Humane Society

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday voted on several key contracts.

The board approved a new, 10-year agreement with the Nevada Humane Society to operate the animal shelter on Airport Road.

“Their services have been exemplary,” said Sheriff Ken Furlong.

The contract gives NHS a no-charge lease, equal to $180,000, and $700,000 annually to operate the shelter and conduct animal control enforcement with cost of living adjustments capped at 5 percent.

The terms of the new agreement are essentially the same as the existing deal, which had not expired but made outdated references to the old shelter, said Ben Johnson, deputy district attorney.

“I think the committee is just thrilled to have such a great partner,” said Supervisor Lori Bagwell, referring to the animal services committee she serves on.

The supervisors also approved the city’s annual contract with four temporary staffing agencies for temporary workers who work seasonally, when city employees are on leave, or on special projects.

The contract, not to exceed $1.25 million, is with Marathon Staffing Group, Inc., Manpower, Acro Service Corp., and Talent Framework, LLC, through a joinder contract with the state.

And the board voted to restructure a proposed joint operating agreement between the Carson City Library, Carson City, Northern Nevada Development Authority, and Adams Hub.

The new agreement called for the library, with funds provided by part of a Hop & Mae Adams Foundation grant, to pay NNDA $60,000 annually to operate a business retention and expansion office at the Adams Hub, owned by the foundation.

“I don’t really have any objections, but seems to me this would be a whole lot simpler if they dealt directly with one another,” said Supervisor Brad Bonkowski, suggesting the Adams Hub and NNDA contract with one another, and reduce the grant to the library, which provides other services for Adams Hub, by $60,000.

Bagwell agreed.

“I’m not comfortable with having the library manage it,” she said. “I’m much more comfortable amending out the original contract and having NNDA have a contract with Steve,” Neighbors, one of three Hop & Mae Adams Foundation trustees who was at the meeting.

The board directed staff to redo the contract by a vote of 4-1 with the no vote cast by Mayor Bob Crowell, who said he supported the contract as presented.

The supervisors voted to raise the salary range for the public guardian. The city is recruiting for a new guardian and Melanie Bruketta, director of human resources, said as part of the process she conducted a market study comparing regional salaries for the same position. She said Douglas County recently increased its pay because the law regarding public guardianship has become more complicated.

“I think we’ve struggled in the past to get this office structured correctly and we need to start from the ground up,” said Bonkowski. “This is something that is necessary.”

The vote to approve raised the salary range from $58,393.72-$87,590.59 to $70,000.00-$105,000.

The board interviewed four applicants for a spot on the Library Board of Trustees and appointed Julie Balderson to a four-year term.

In a special presentation, Jessica Daniels, executive director/principal, Carson Montessori School, said the school made an offer to purchase the Fairview Drive building once occupied by Argent Preparatory Academy, formerly Silver State Charter School. Daniels said the offer was accepted and the school was now seeking financing.

The school’s special use permit at its current location on Mouton Drive, in an area zoned light industrial, has expired and the school has been actively looking for a new location.

And the meeting opened with public comment from former city Supervisor Jim Shirk, who assailed the city’s processes for hiring a city manager, changing the board agenda, and its use of temporary workers as well as the city’s new trash contract and street repairs.

“In closing, I look forward to the 2020 mayoral race,” said Shirk. “I believe that we have several very qualified and proven candidates that will serve our community well.”