animal shelter

The following was read at the Feb. 20, 2014 Board of Supervisors meeting. I said the following:

A Better Plan for Carson City

Now is the time for courage in leadership as we seek to secure financing and determine the timing of projects through a cooperative effort which will bring together the community, city staff and elected officials.

In an emotionally-charged issue that brought out passionate pleas for and against, Carson City supervisors agreed to a 1/8th-cent sales tax to fund several infrastructure projects.

The final vote was 4 to 1, with Supervisor Jim Shirk dissenting. John McKenna, who was seen as the swing vote, agreed in the end which allowed for a required two-thirds majority.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors is poised to vote tomorrow afternoon on a plan to raise sales taxes to fund improvements to the city's major corridors, a multi-purpose athletic center and a new animal shelter.

Several readers have offered up their opinions on this issue, which you can find in our Opinion section. Feel free to comment on those articles, or submit your own.

Karen Abowd on Tuesday announced her second run as Carson City Supervisor Ward I, citing her desire to see through many projects currently in process, as well as her commitment to the future of Nevada’s Capital City.

“Carson City has gone through some tough economic times and continues to,” Abowd said. “We have needed to be careful in our planning and how we spend available dollars in order to create sustainable, relevant opportunities that have immediate positive impacts, and build a future we can be proud to leave our children and grandchildren.”

In 2012 the people of Carson City voted DOWN the ballot initiative CC #1 which called for a 1/8th cent hike in the sales tax, to be used for a new library and other development downtown, including the reduction of traffic on Carson Street from 4 to 2 lanes so as to make room for wider, more pedestrian friendly sidewalks or additional street parking or both.

The Mayor said he would like our Board of Supervisors to approve a 1/8 cent sales tax increase. I’d like you to tell them to vote “NO.”

Not because we can’t afford the average $12.50 per family increase and not because none of the projects are worthwhile. It is because the Mayor and a few of our Supervisors have demonstrated that their vision of Carson City is one where an increased cost of living, increased debt, and increased long term fiscal obligations should be our future.

Read the full text of Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell's State of the City speech, after the jump.

The event will take place at the Carson City Nugget on February 7th from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. The evening event will include wine tasting, appetizers, chocolate and entertainment.

Tickets can be purchased on line at www.friendsofcasi.org click on the donate tab, or by calling Lisa at 775-671-2413. Carson Animal Services Initiative (CASI) is a non-profit organization. Its mission is to raise funds to assist the municipality of Carson City, Nevada to build a safe and modern animal shelter for all animals in need.

Rational Carsonites carefully deploy their finite personal capital for maximum value and tangible results. Conversely, our city's officials serially ignore the value proposition, favoring redundant, feel-good projects lacking objective analysis, justification and worthwhile benefits. Core civic services and infrastructure maintenance suffer.

The recent initiative to raise sales taxes, projected to saddle taxpayers with $15 million of additional long-term debt, is largely ($13 million) targeted for more indoor basketball courts and arterial street beautification projects.

The City staff drafted an agenda item that would increase sales tax by 1/8 of a cent.

This increase will help to fund various corridor projects; it will also allow the City to build the Animal Shelter, and the Multi-Purpose Athletic Center. The allocated expense of all projects does not include any debt service fees, interest nor any maintenance, service fees, staffing, or other related cost after completion.

Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell provides an update on the actions taken by the Board of Supervisors at its last meeting, Dec. 19.

Topics include: Appointments to the 9-1-1 Surcharge Advisory Committee, Ward Voting, Carson City's ethics ordinance, the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the proposed Multi-Purpose Athletic Center, a new animal shelter, and other proposed infrastructure improvements.

Meetings have been established with two Carson City supervisors to discuss proposed downtown revitalization plans as well as building, improvements and infrastructure for Carson City through a proposed 1/8-cent sales tax.

Carson City's Forward group will meet today with Carson City Supervisor John McKenna, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Business Resource Innovation Center, BRIC, 108 E. Proctor St., Carson City.

With so many important issues up for discussion, this month’s walkabout Friday, Dec. 13 may be more pressing than usual, said Carson City Supervisor Karen Abowd.

Topics for this month include the proposed sales tax increase to help fund a no-kill animal shelter in Carson City, the East-North-South Corridors Project and The Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada’s multi-use activity center, which would be a city project for use by The Boys & Girls Club, but would also provide additional space where conventions and a variety of other activities to help promote Carson City, could be conducted.

Carson City Ward 2 Supervisor Brad Bonkowski will hold his monthly “Breakfast with Brad” on Friday, December 6 at 7:30 am at the Cracker Box restaurant. Any Carson City resident is invited to stop in.

At that last BOS meeting, a majority vote (Crowell, Abowd & Bonkowski) had approved the agenda item to revitalize all corridors, and build the MAC & Animal Shelter. However, after the vote staff had been directed not to pursue this as it was felt the votes would not be forthcoming when it came back to the Board.

Carson City Health and Human Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Cindy Hannah as the manager of Carson City Animal Services. Hannah has been employed at Carson City Health and Human Services for 3 years and served as the manager of the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division of the Health Department prior to taking the position at Animal Services.

Carson City Supervisor Karen Abowd hosts her monthly walkabout Friday, Nov. 8. This month, she will be discussing the city manager, the proposed animal shelter and East-North-South Corridors Project.

Anyone wanting clarification about the new water and sewer rates, or who may have questions about the reasons rates were increased, are encouraged to attend.

The walkabouts are conducted every second Friday at noon, in keeping with a campaign promise Abowd made to keep the lines of communication open.

Even the wise, kind and responsible Disney nanny character would face a daunting task were she presented with the continuing public policy fiascos in our troubled town. Mary handled her unbridled charges with aplomb and urgency. Many of our elected and appointed officials need to employ these traits.

State Fair

Carson City has settled in a lawsuit regarding the euthanization of a dog when the dog's owner could not afford to pay to take the dog out of an animal shelter within 72 hours.

Perhaps it wasn't advertised enough. I mean, it was on radio, in the paper, on the web, and of course on the marquee, but you know, people just don't see any of those things.

Perhaps it was the time for holding it. I mean, 5:30 to 7:00 PM in this town is dinner time, right?

Either way, the Carson City town-hall meeting, held by 11 heads or assistant heads of city departments, attracted a total of THREE DOZEN people -- two thirds of them consisting of the mayor, two supervisors, and city employees. ONE dozen were "normal citizens." Abnormal, if you ask me, because they showed up.

The Carson City Chamber Leadership Institute Class of 2013 will graduate on Thursday, September 12 after an intensive nine months of learning about Carson City and will unveil their leadership project at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada.

Management changes have been made at the Carson City animal facility, city officials confirmed Thursday. Gail Radtke, who served as the animal services manager, is no longer with the city.

Bob Elliott, who is the current Environmental Health Inspector with Carson City Health and Human Services, will be the interim manager. A permanent replacement will be done in a search.

Sherry Duncan of Carson City holds a sign Friday in front of the Carson City Animal Services on Butti Way. She and others were demonstrating against practices at the shelter after a pet dog was recently euthanized when the owner said she couldn't pay the fees on time.

The shelter said it was within its rights, but should have allowed the woman, Jeraldine Archuleta, additional time needed to come up with the money.

Come and join the Dayton Valley Dog Park for our 5th annual flea market and crafts fair June 29th (Saturday) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park is located at Dayton Valley Road and Como Road, across from River Vista Fitness.

We have over 60 vendors who are selling treasures for you to discover! There will also be animal adoptions by the Carson Animal Shelter so you can find your new best friend, or you can buy a boxer kiss from Boxers and Buddies! Bring your family and friends to one of Dayton's biggest flea markets. See you there!

Help us build a new animal shelter one card at a time. The Carson Animal Services Initiative fundraiser will be at County Purr Farm Scrapbooking store, 3220 Highway 50 East in Carson City.

Stop in Saturday April 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and make 5 special animal themed cards for only $5 all supplies are provided. All proceeds will go to CASI. Raffle tickets will also be sold for a chance to win wonderful prizes.
Refreshments are donated by Grocery Outlet.

Call by April 3 to reserve your card kit. (775) 885-7377.

On Saturday, Dec. 15, Pet Network Humane Society, officially opened their Second Chance Consignment Boutique at 2578 S. Curry Street south of Greenhouse Garden Center in Carson City.
Sales go to benefit the Pet Network Humane Society headquartered at Incline Village. Pet Network works closely with the Carson City Animal Shelter to save pets headed for euthansia. Donations of gently used clothing appreciated.

In the spirit of teamwork and goodwill, AAA continues its steadfast tradition to civic involvement by hosting on May 18 an open house designed to benefit Special Olympics in its south Carson City office.

The event, which is slated from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., includes a silent auction, special insurance counseling, travel advice as well as ample refreshments. Proceeds from the silent auction with items ranging from a glider plane ride to a round of golf will be earmarked for the Special Olympics of Nevada.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will appoint new officers for the city's Redevelopment Authority at it meeting next Thursday.

Also on the agenda will be possible action to start fundraising and planning for a new animal shelter.

The full agenda is below:

The Carson City Democratic Women's Club invites all interested residents to attend our annual Holiday Party on December 10th, 2012 starting at 11:30 AM. There will not be a business meeting in December. Instead for $17.00, John, at Grandma Hatties is putting on a wonderful festive buffet. (If you need help with this cost please call). We will play games for prizes and otherwise have some good cheer. Please RSVP at 841- DEMS or call Donna at 884-3037 for questions.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors yesterday approved new boundary maps for the city's four wards, with slight changes from the previous boundaries. One change involved moving residents living south of King Street and north of West Fifth Street between Carson and Thompson streets from Ward 4 to Ward 1. The board also gave final approval to allow advertising on bus shelters, and made changes to water applications to allow better distribution of water between Carson, Lyon and Douglas counties. It was also announced that two donations totaling $71,773 has been given to Animal Services for the construction and operation of a new animal shelter.

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The Carson Senators win their season opener against South Tahoe 59-50 in the first round of the 35th annual Carson Lions/Capital City Classic boys basketball tournament.