Supervisors review Carson River Superfund, trails project

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will be busy Thursday with a jam-packed agenda ranging from a presentation on the Carson River Superfund site to review of the city’s housing plan for unsheltered individuals.

The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. in the board room of the community center, 851 E. William St.

First up on the regular agenda is a presentation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

“U.S. EPA Region 9, in conjunction with NDEP, will provide a brief overview of the Carson River Mercury Superfund Site and current activities ongoing in Carson City,” reads the agenda. “As the only National Priorities List (NPL) site in Nevada, the site was listed as a result of mercury that was utilized in historic gold and silver mining processes. The site consists of two major investigation areas called Operable Units (OUs). OU1 is the source areas including the former mills and tailings, while OU2 is the associated tributaries, including the actual river, associated streams/canals, floodplains and lakes.

“The OU2 site generally extends along the Carson River from the Mexican Dam all the way to the Carson Sink and Stillwater Wildlife Refuge and encompasses five counties including Carson City. Current work on the OU2 site of significance to the city includes investigation of potential contamination in soil at residences in the Empire Ranch subdivision and the selection of an interim remedy for OU2.”

The presentation is for discussion only.

In other action:

• As part of the consent agenda, supervisors will review a contract with Fisher & Phillips LLP for a total not to exceed $150,000 for the law firm to represent the city in dispute resolution with the Carson City Sheriff’s Supervisory Association. The union includes lieutenants and captains in CCSO.

“The captains’ existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires June 30, 2024. During negotiations for a successor agreement, the city’s negotiating team and the union’s negotiating team were able to reach tentative agreements on many terms but have been unable to reach a tentative agreement on terms concerning pay and the agreement’s duration,” reads the agenda. “The union declared negotiations to be at an impasse, which requires the parties to enter dispute resolution processes on an accelerated timeframe.”

• Supervisors will consider appointing two people to the Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority. There are two positions open, both for two-year terms. One position is to represent the hotel and motel industry, and the other position is for a citizen at-large.

“New applications were received from B. Alexandra Walden and Andrew Reno for the citizen at-large position,” reads the agenda. “Michael Jones has applied for reappointment for the hotel-motel industry position.”

• Supervisors will consider appointing two people to the Library Board of Trustees. One will fill a four-year term, and one will fill a partial term expiring in June 2027.

“There is one vacancy due to an expired term and one vacancy due to a resignation. Beth Lucas's term is expiring June 30, 2024, and she has applied for reappointment. A new application was submitted by Deborah Case,” according to the agenda.

• Supervisors will consider a contract with Facilities Management Inc. for the Carson River Trails System Phase III-Prison Hill West Project.

Funded by a Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) grant, the contract would not exceed $1,585,164.35.

“This project consists of all labor, materials, tools and equipment necessary for the construction of approximately 2.5 miles of trail including ditches, drainage pipes, rip/rap, erosion control, signs, re-vegetation and related improvements,” according to the agenda. “The project also includes improvements to an existing trailhead, improvements to the road that accesses the trailhead and modifications to a pedestrian crossing at Edmonds Drive including a crosswalk and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (pedestrian crossing signs and flashing lights).”

• Supervisors will convene as the Redevelopment Authority and review proposed expenditures of about $2.3 million from the fiscal year 2025 Redevelopment Revolving Fund to support events, incentives and improvements.

The measure includes the following expenditures: $50,000, arts and culture special events; $25,000, Nevada Day; $20,000, farmers market; $10,000, Silver and Snowflake Christmas tree lighting; $15,000, Fourth of July fireworks; $370,800, sales tax reimbursement incentive program for the Southgate Mall and Carson Mall; $236,868, Richard Campagni (auto dealer) incentive; $294,220, Michael Hohl (auto dealer) incentive; $25,000, special event street closures; $25,000, downtown equipment and infrastructure replacement; $250,000, sidewalk and ADA improvements; $75,000, Mills Park walkway replacement; $800,000, Roop Street improvements; $100,000, North Carson Street Complete Street; $26,000, Bob Boldrick (Theatre) light boards.

• Supervisors will convene as the Board of Health and review various reports from health officials including the 2024 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps (CHRR) presented by John Packham, associate dean for the Office of Statewide Initiatives, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.

The CCHR materials can be found online: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/carsoncity/9562bb69561c11f60010e53039cf021b0.pdf.

As the Board of Health, supervisors will also consider an update to the Carson City Housing Plan that focuses on unsheltered individuals.

“The housing plan’s goal is to assist individuals with moving from one phase to the next with the goal of obtaining independent and permanent housing,” reads a staff report. “The three phases include the following programs: (1) street outreach, (2) group living housing, and (3) transition to independent and stable housing. Within each phase, individuals have access to intensive case management to assist with overcoming the barriers and challenges to independent living.”

To implement the plan, Carson City Health and Human Services works with nonprofits like Night off the Streets to coordinate services. In 2023, supervisors allocated $222,397 of American Rescue Plan Act funding to local nonprofits to support goals of the plan.

The full presentation on the housing plan can be viewed online at https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2646664/CARSON_CITY_HOUSING_PLAN_Presentation_-_Final.pdf.