Carson City Board of Supervisors approve 90% design of South Carson Street project

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday gave approval to finish the design of the South Carson Street project.

The supervisors heard an update on the design, which is currently 90 percent complete, and much of the discussion concerned the roundabout planned at Stewart and Carson streets.

“We’ve been looking at this for a long time,” said Dan Stucky, city engineer, referring to the roundabout. “It is a big strength why we received the $7.6 million,” federal grant helping fund the project.

Stucky said the turnoff for Stewart Street will be sharper than the existing one and designed to slow down cars making the turn, addressing concerns that the roundabout poses a risk for bicyclists and pedestrians.

He also said some further tweaks would be made to the design to ensure the area where cars cross the bike lane to make the turn is made safe for bike riders.

Another concern, brought up by Supervisor Stacey Giomi, was the car stacking that occurs on South Carson Street at the entrances to Olive Garden and Raley’s.

Giomi suggested looking into making the entrances exit only, which would force northbound cars to use Clearview Drive, or Eagle Station and Koontz lanes instead of lining up along Carson Street.

Four people made public comment about the project, including James Clark, a Carson City resident who recently moved here from the Netherlands, where roundabouts are common.

“I look at the way you’re doing this and all the expense and the Dutch would be laughing their heads off,” he said.

Clark mentioned the cost of proposed landmark in the middle of the roundabout, which has not been approved or designed yet.

Stucky said the project design should be completed in September or October and a pre-construction public meeting held in November or December. Construction is scheduled to start in January 2020.

The board also voted to eliminate the position of bicycle and pedestrian coordinator and replace it with a higher-paying position of transportation/planner analyst, all paid for through grant funding.

Members of Muscle Powered, the organization involved in bike and pedestrian projects and promotion, commented with concerns that change would eliminate the focus on bike riders and walkers.

“My only issue is the (job) description,” said Charles Macquarie during public comment. “There is no mention of bicycles or pedestrians at all.”

The board directed staff to add some functions relating to bike and pedestrian planning to the job description and voted to approve the change.

The board questioned the timing on hiring for the new position of support specialist to implement the Pretrial Risk Assessment Program, which the Nevada Supreme Court ordered all counties to institute.

The program isn’t required to start until next fall but the Sheriff’s Office was seeking to post the job in the next month in order to do training and prep work to launch the program.

After board discussion, Jerome Tushbant, assistant sheriff, agreed to post the job in January and the board approved it 4-1 with Supervisor John Barrette voting no.

“I am voting no as a protest,” said Barrette. “Government either moves too slowly or too fast and this has been shoved down our throats.”

Barrette initially opposed another job change. Public Works requested adding job functions to and raising the salary range on a now vacant position, waters operations supervisor. The salary bump sought was from a range of $62,501.68 to $93,753.09 to a range of $70,656.78 to $105,984.12.

Both Supervisors Lori Bagwell and Barrette questioned making salary adjustments outside the budget process and Barrette asked why the job couldn’t remain vacant until next year’s budget was considered since it had already been vacant for a few months. He also asked Eddy Quaglieri, water utility manager, who was making the request, his salary.

Both Giomi and Mayor Bob Crowell said it was an important job.

“Not only do we have to be sensitive to the taxpayers, we are an organization and have to be responsible building a team, and respect them,” said Crowell. “It’s a two-sided coin.”

The supervisors voted unanimously to approve and Barrette later apologized for being “out of sorts.”

Adriana Fralick, deputy city manager, said this was her last board meeting and thanked the supervisors. Fralick, who moved to the city manager’s office from the District Attorney’s office, is leaving in early September to start her own law practice.