Carson City facilities need $17 million in immediate maintenance

A study of Carson City-owned facilities found $17 million in needed immediate maintenance and improvements and a total of $59 million over 10 years to maintain them in good condition.

Of 149 buildings and structures, 65 are in very poor or poor condition, including three that are beyond repair. Another 33 are in fair condition and 51 are in good condition, according to the report by Faithful + Gould.

The report commissioned by Public Works is part of the city’s effort to better manage its assets after years of deferring maintenance during the last recession.

Dean Leonard, Faithful + Gould, told the Board of Supervisors at its Nov. 5 meeting that the study could be used to determine how much to invest each year and its impact. He presented four spending scenarios with various amounts invested annually and the result on building conditions going forward.

“Five-and-a-half to $6 million a year is ideal to take care of everything,” said Leonard.

Supervisor Brad Bonkowski said the study was a tool for making decisions.

“This is very comprehensive data and it’s up to staff and us to shape that data,” he said. “I suspect we’re probably pretty close to $5.5 to $6 million now so maybe we just need to use the data to come with a long-term plan.”

Part of that plan will be to set priorities.

“I think the first step in the process is not to assume all these dollars are equally critical,” said Supervisor Stacey Giomi.

The surveyed facilities were primarily part of the city’s parks and recreation venues, including the Aquatic Facility, Fuji Fairgrounds and Lone Mountain Cemetery, and its Public Works structures, including more than a dozen wells.

The three facilities in very poor condition and in need of demolition, according to the consultant, are a storage building at Fuji Park, and the Field 1 dugout and Field 3 announcers building at Governors Field.

Among the facilities in poor condition are the Brunswick Reservoir control structure, the Fuji Fairground exhibit hall, the snack bar at the Pete Livermore Sports Complex, the Sheriff’s Office dispatch, Fire Station 53, and 11 of the 17 wells evaluated.
The structures in good or top condition included the Nevada Humane Society Carson City Animal Shelter, the pool building, the BMX main building at Pete Livermore, and Fire Station 52 and 54.

The buildings needing the most funding are the jail, Community Center, and courthouse on Musser Street, but all are in fair condition.