Centennial turf, tribe’s water lease go to supervisors

After a unanimous endorsement by the Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 20, plans to convert the four upper softball fields at Centennial Park to artificial, or synthetic, turf are heading to the Carson City Board of Supervisors, among other items.

The meeting begins 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the community center board room, 851 E. William St.

Supervisors will consider a contract not to exceed $238,405 with Lloyd Consulting Group LLC for the design phase of the synthetic turf project.

“Additional design items included will be landscaping improvements between the fields and a natural windbreak landscape along a portion of the perimeter fencing,” according to the agenda.

Conversion to artificial turf was proposed to be part of park improvements funded by general-obligation bonds of up to $5 million, which the Board of Supervisors authorized earlier this year. Per an agreement between the city and the Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority (CTA or Visit Carson City), the bonds were secured with a portion of room tax revenue, meaning visitors would initially pay for the new fields.

During the Parks and Recreation hearing in August, Carson City Parks and Recreation Director Jen Budge said depreciation of the fields would be considered and that Quality of Life funds (from a voter-approved .25 percent sales tax) could be used in the future for replacement.

Parks commissioners were supportive of the project in light of challenges with the current grass fields. The turf project is concurrent with other improvements at the park like drainage projects and the renovation of eight tennis courts, the latter project allocated ARPA funding.

While drawing some opposition from the public based on concerns about the safety of artificial turf, a recent survey found the majority of 760 respondents were in favor of the conversion. Visit Carson City has also been a proponent of the project, hopeful it will draw more tournaments and visitors to the capital city.

“The opportunities here, I am happy to say, in front of us right now to spur additional visitor investment in Carson City will not only benefit our lodging properties … but our restaurants, our bars, our museums, our galleries and gas stations and the like,” Visit Carson City Executive Director David Peterson said at the Aug. 20 parks hearing.

In other action:

• Supervisors will weigh a resolution declaring the city’s intention to lease up to 218 acre-feet annually of the city’s Clear Creek surface water rights to the Washoe Development Corp., (WDC) for five years, plus the option to renew for another five years, for $35,518 annually.

“The city owns Clear Creek water rights in the amount of 265.50 acre-feet. The city does not currently need the entirety of these water rights, and the city will not need surface water from Clear Creek in the near future,” reads a staff report. “WDC is a federally chartered organization created and owned by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California for the purpose of pursuing economic opportunities for the tribe and its members. WDC desires to lease up to 218 acre-feet of Clear Creek water rights annually from the city for industrial purposes at land WDC owns and operates adjacent to Clear Creek in Douglas County.”

State law requires the city to declare its leasing intention and provide an opportunity for public objections, according to the agenda.

“If the proposed resolution is approved, any objections will be heard at the Board of Supervisors’ regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 3,” reads the agenda.

• Supervisors will convene as the Board of Health to hear reports from Carson City Health and Human Services and the city’s health officer, Dr. Colleen Lyons.

Supervisors will also hear a discussion-only presentation from Carson Tahoe Health on the organization’s initiative to improve behavioral health services to juveniles.

CTH recently secured $3.5 million in federal funds, sub-awarded through the state, to retrofit existing facilities at the old hospital site on Fleischmann Way. The retrofit will produce 10 in-patient beds for youth behavioral health and 12 beds for a youth crisis stabilization center.

Supervisors will also consider the latest Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) that is part of CCHHS’ accreditation process and follows a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) that identified needs across the quad-county region.

“The CHIP is a plan to address four public health issues identified in the community CHNA, which are, in no particular order: (1) access to basic needs, (2) access to healthcare for specific populations, (3) mental and emotional health and (4) substance use prevention, treatment and recovery,” reads a staff report. “Crescendo (a consultant) completed the CHIP on June 18 …. The different methods Crescendo used to gather insights and strategies included interviews, focus groups and the participation of invited organizations in an all-day workshop.

“For each priority an action plan was developed which includes assets/resources, challenges/barriers, the goal, indicators and strategies identified to accomplish the goal.”

The CHIP can be viewed online: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2822400/Quad_County_CHIP_Report_BOS_9.5.24.pdf