Carson City leaders give OK to allocate money for new holiday decorations, sidewalk improvements, bike racks and more

During Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, its Redevelopment Authority OK'd a plan to create a budget for improvement allocations throughout Carson City including new holiday decorations, new bike racks, historic trail signage on pedestrian and bike paths, sidewalk improvements and more.

Supervisor Maurice White stated he did not agree with the suggested funding for the downtown redevelopment area due to what he called “philosophical issues.”

“I really have a problem with concentrating so much effort in that centralized downtown area,” said Supervisor White. “We’ve done a lot of work down there, and I hear from the community all the time, ‘Why does it seem like the only thing that matters is downtown?’”

He asked for the money suggested in the budget to be rerouted to efforts for infrastructure such as the budgets for grounding lines and repairing sidewalks, funding for which was proposed in the budget as $100,000 and $1,687,705, respectively.

Supervisor Lisa Schuette stated the downtown sector is a gathering place for the community, whether it be for the annual Christmas tree lighting celebration and children’s concert during the holiday season or the festivities for the Nevada Day Parade, and that it was an important area for the city’s revenue as it drew tourism to shops and restaurants.

“I think it’s important to celebrate community, and to have a place for the community to celebrate together,” said Supervisor Schuette.

“The Redevelopment Authority and the districts were formed because this board and past boards recognized that we had improvements to make,” said Supervisor Stacey Giomi. “The (projects) we’ve put money into in previous areas improves the look and the functionality of those areas, and it does bring in more revenue to our community.”

Supervisor White also asked for the Facade Improvement Program, which was enacted three to four years ago according to Community Development Director Lee Plemel, to be written out of the budget.

The Facade Improvement Program recently completed projects at 302 N. Minnesota Street and the Bank Saloon, formerly Jack’s Bar, in 2020.

Supervisor Stan Jones stated he would like to keep the Facade Improvement Program, and Supervisor Giomi stated he thinks leaving the program in place accomplishes the purpose of the Redevelopment Authority, and gives businesses and opportunity to do it.

Supervisor Schuette asked what the purpose of the Facade Improvement Program project was when it was first enacted, and Mayor Lori Bagwell stated the original intent was to manage blighted and deteriorated buildings to improve the overall aesthetics of the downtown sector.

The list for budget items included Carson Street holiday decorations, which would include new illuminated, holiday-themed pole decorations for S. Carson Street from 5th Street to the S. Stewart Street Roundabout, replacement of existing wreaths and replacement of existing garlands.

“I understand our Christmas decorations are 20 plus years old,” said Supervisor Jones.

The recommended allocation for the upgrades is $95,000 which would also include the increase in staff hours needed to install the new decorations, which is handled by the Public Works Department.

One major topic of conversation was the proposed V&T Round House Arch.

According to the budget draft, the project description is as follows:

The City has sandstone blocks from one of the arches of the former V&T Railroad “round house” maintenance building that was located on the northwest corner of Stewart Street and Robinson Street. The blocks have been saved to be used as a historic monument within the downtown area. This project would fund costs associated with evaluating potential locations, determining conceptual design of a site (i.e. landscaping, lighting, benches), and stakeholder engagement.

The requested allocation for the project is $20,000.

“We need to do (the V&T Round House Arch) and we need to do it right,” said Supervisor Jones.

One project that did not make the cut was the McFadden Plaza shade structure project, which would have been enacted in conjunction with the 3rd Street parking lot improvements.

Mayor Bagwell stated that she agreed with Supervisors Jones and White in that she did not support the proposed shade structure project at McFadden Plaza.

“I think it would close it off,” said Bagwell. “If I’m being honest, I think we could use a plaza three times the size, but we don’t have the room for that.”

Bagwell suggested the proposed funding for the shade structure to instead be moved into the redevelopment sidewalk budget line.

The Board accepted the proposed budget with the exception of the McFadden Shade Structure, the proposed funding of which would be redirected toward the redevelopment sidewalk fund.

Supervisor White said that the proposed $600 for bike racks were exorbitant but he would support it if they could be purchased from a local fabricator, and suggested Precision Metal Works.

City Engineer Dan Stucky stated that he thought it would be possible to do so, so long as the bike rack structures would aesthetically match what is currently downtown.

The total cost of proposed expenditures for Fiscal Year 2021 under the Redevelopment Authority’s budget is in the amount of $2,228,071; however, this is not a final budget, but rather guidance given to the city on where to allocate funding. The final budget will be brought back before the Board of Supervisors at a later date to be voted on and enacted.

To see the full list of projects, including new park signs, Fuji Park master plan improvements, ADA improvements to the community center and more, click here.