Mayor Lori Bagwell and Supervisors Stacey Giomi and Maurice White watch a drone presentation from the sheriff’s office.
Faith Evans
The Board of Supervisors met with city officials on Monday to discuss their strategic plan, upcoming redistricting, and allocation of $20 million from the American Rescue Plan fund. The meeting, held in the Robert “Bob” Crowell Board Room at the Community Center, was strictly discussion only, and all plans are considered tentative until finalized.
As it stands, the board’s largest drafted allocations from ARP funding include:
• $6.5 million toward multiple water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure projects throughout the city.
• $3 million for Parks, Recreation and Open Space. Money is earmarked for the Centennial Park tennis courts, Mills Park pickleball courts, and various park restrooms.
• $2 million for ventilation and HVAC improvements throughout city buildings.
• $1.9 million for government services, including an emergency operations center, fire station, and backup emergency dispatch center in one building.
• $1.2 million for behavioral healthcare needs, nonprofits, and affordable housing.
The board has left approximately $4 million unallocated, some of which may go toward nonprofit applicants.
Night Off The Street program representatives asked for greater allocations toward homelessness in Carson City. Barbara D’Anneo, chairperson for the Cultural Commission, also used public comment time to ask for funding for the arts.
Among the city’s five-year strategic goals, city departments presented plans to:
• Construct a new fire station with an emergency operations center, training, and a backup dispatch center. Fire Chief Sean Slamon said that his crews have been unable to meet four-minute response time goals along the east and northwest sides of town. They would like to break ground on a new station by spring of 2023.
• Expand the city Justice/Municipal Court to accommodate an additional courtroom. Officials are hoping to avoid staff relocation, but the supervisors were not opposed to moving some staff to off-site offices.
• Increase funding for street maintenance. Public works is heading that effort, and they’re hoping to bring a motion (or at least a presentation) before the board in August.
• Split the Clerk Recorder and Administrator positions into two separate jobs. The current Clerk Recorder, Aubrey Rowlatt, said that with Carson City’s growth, separating the positions would better serve the community. This would result in a statutory change.
• Implement a downtown circulator, shuttle, or trolley for tourism. Visit Carson City Executive Director David Peterson said that he does not anticipate needing additional city funding to do this.
• Create an index on the carson.org website that contains all city contracts.
• Secure a new computer system for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Construct a new juvenile justice facility or expand the current facility.
• Bring an educational safety program to elementary classrooms in the upcoming school year. Mayor Lori Bagwell suggested that the Fire Department coordinate with Health and Human Services to combine their safety and tobacco/vaping educational programs.
Supervisor Stacey Giomi commented that he was hoping to see more plans to attract and promote city businesses in the coming years. Supervisors Stan Jones and Lisa Schuette added that they’re seeing a trend in city officials requesting more space for growth.
As for city redistricting plans, officials’ hands are somewhat tied until they receive final census results, and the state completes its own redistricting. Rowlatt and Tyler Jesse, asset manager for Public Works, said that they will be purchasing and practicing with redistricting software in August.
City ward boundaries are set by ordinance, which the board must approve before the end of 2021.
