Supervisors OK park transfer to school district

Approximately three acres of Park Terrace Park in eastern Carson City will be transferred to the school district at no cost following the Board of Supervisors unanimous approval of a resolution Thursday.

According to the resolution, the Carson City School District will cover all improvements and costs associated with the transfer including maintenance. CCSD will also provide public access to the acreage through a new fence when not in school use.

“When school is not in session or the property is not being used for school purposes, CCSD must permit public access and public recreational use of the field,” reads the resolution.

After a lot line adjustment, the 5.4 acres of Park Terrace Park will be reduced to 2.4 acres, but the transfer will benefit students at Empire Elementary, which is the smallest school in the district by acreage, according to school district officials.

“The city and the school district have been great partners for a very long time,” said CCSD Superintendent Andrew Feuling. “When Empire was built back in ’88, what was happening across the country is we were trying to find these joint-use opportunities, and so the idea that the elementary school is right next to the park, it was a very simple way to kind of be more efficient with land use — but clearly the world has changed a lot since then.”

Security is the main concern, and Feuling said expectation of public use determines access to properties in the district. AYSO, for example, might want to use the area behind Carson Middle School.

“I’m just concerned about disposing of resources that the entire neighborhood gets to use,” said Supervisor Stacey Giomi. “It’s the only park in the neighborhood, as you know. It’s well used … I just really need to be assured we’re not going to lock the gates on people.”

Supervisor Curtis Horton recommended a ranger in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department have access to the lock in case the public is inadvertently locked out.

Supervisor Lisa Schuette said she interviewed neighbors in the area and concluded the transfer was a good collaborative effort.

“While school is in session, I think it really provides an added layer of safety for students,” she said, “while still honoring the space as a neighborhood park.”

In other action:

• Supervisors directed staff to work on a bill draft request (BDR) that would focus on the V&T Railway Commission for the 2025 legislative session.

The city is allowed to submit one BDR by Sept. 1, according to staff.

Abandoning an idea for a retail delivery fee as their BDR, supervisors set their sights on figuring out the city’s future involvement with the V&T. Staff will draft a BDR requesting the state of Nevada appropriate staff for the V&T Commission. Additionally, if that’s not feasible, the city will request a study committee be convened to evaluate options, including the legislative dissolution of the V&T Commission.

Carson City Public Information Officer Cameron Gresh said Storey County, also part of the V&T Commission, agreed with the city on the issue.

Some supervisors were hesitant to pursue legislative dissolution without understanding the consequences and fate of the V&T’s assets. Others, like Mayor Lori Bagwell, wondered about the burden the V&T Commission places on participating local governments.

A draft of the BDR is expected to return to the board this month.

• Supervisors approved the city’s 2024 Language Access Plan on a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Maurice White voting no.

The plan is required by Assembly Bill 266 (2023) and focuses on Limited English Proficient (LEP) residents, according to the city.

Gresh said the plan incorporates not only bilingual employees to offer services, but also translation software that other employees can use. The goal, he said, is to standardize best practices across departments and standardize training. He said although there is currently no cost to the city, there could be in the future.

White said it was objectionable that state lawmakers pushed the mandate on local governments without providing funding.

The plan can be accessed online: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2760037/Carson_City_2024_Language_Access_Plan.pdf