Deep Thoughts, Cheap Shots and Bonbons Part II: Items of Community Interest and Concerns

1. The Mayor’s State of the City Address is scheduled for January 20th and should have been held at the Community Center in the evening (after work hours) and “free to the public” — charging citizens’ admission is simply wrong. Also, is the City's State of the State Address televised and available to the citizens to watch on the City’s access channel? Additionally, his fellow Board members should be given a copy of this community address in advance.

2. It’s Your City — which regularly broadcasts local elected officials, city staff or citizens detailing community events or other subject matters has ceased all productions and will no longer be televised. This is troubling, as this venue allowed individuals an opportunity to have a voice without any interference from any agency.

3. Soon there will be an agenda item to increase the room tax rate paid by hotels/motels. The indication is: this is to help fund Arts and Cultural activities, events, actions and experiences within the community. Funds collected with also pay the salary of a new city employee who will oversee the income/expenditures related to this tax. More than likely, this employee will be reporting to the City Manager, Visitors Bureau and some agency from the Arts and Cultural community.

4. Recently I sent an email to each Board member asking if one board member would second my motion for an agenda item to discuss:
a) To use General Funds rather than Redevelopment Funds to reimburse auto dealerships since the Redevelopment Authority is in desperate need of funds to help with major projects within the community; and
b) Lowering the property tax rate from one cent to three cents.

5. At the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on January 21st there will be a discussion about how your tax dollars are being spent on road repairs. If you are unable to attend, I suggest you send your questions, concerns or interests about road repairs to the City Manager or any Board member requesting they read your correspondence into the record at the Board meeting, and address the subject matter brought up.

Further in-depth Road Repair Debate or Debacle
On the city’s website the results of CAMPO’s, aka Regional Transportation Plan Survey, results have been released. Surprisingly, the results of Question #12 had been deliberately omitted.

Here is Question #12 (as presented in the survey)
12. With the gas tax of Carson City unchanged since 1997 and a substantial backlog of street repair projects which continues to grow, would you support an increase in gas tax that would be used only for road repairs?
At the Board meeting I asked why, and the response from city staff was – “the DA recommended that the results not be released because this will be a ballot question in the November election, and the result might influence voters”. My response – his opinion should have been sought prior to the survey - not after.
After much discussion (at the Board meeting) with city staff and the DA - both agreed to release the results to me. At the meeting I stated – “I have every intention of releasing this information without reservations”.
With that said, here are the results*
YES – 50.7%
NO – 21.7%
MAYBE – 27.6%
[*Note: all Board members received this information]

Here are some additional facts – there were only 153 total responses to the overall survey (out of the community of 55,000); however there is no clear consensus of how many persons actually answered question #12. What is confusing: ONLY this particular question has divided individuals into tenths of a person, how and why is puzzling. Keep in mind this is not a scientific survey – because there is no pre-requisite that only Carsonites may participate, there is a possibility that a margin of error has NOT been accounted for. So, is this survey helpful? The probability is maybe, but not much.

Further follow-up with the Board of Supervisors January 7th 2016, Meeting

Agenda item #18A
To approve contracts for Vehicle Tires, Tubes and Services. During open discussion I specifically asked “How will services be provided as all the vendors are back east?” Staff indicated that in the contract it was stated: “that locally vendors will provide such services as required.” After the meeting, I followed up with staff and found this was not the case. Board members were NOT provided the documents that granted such latitude. I requested that staff forward these documents to all Board members.

Agenda item #30A (continuation from Part I)
Dealt with appointments of the Board of Supervisors to various Boards, Committees and Commissions. How Board members made their nomination – they simply said it out loud and they were never called upon as is the usual practice the Mayor has implemented in every Board meeting.
The following is the modus operandi that has always been used by Board members: they are to turn on their light, and then they are recognized by the Mayor who then calls upon them, at which time they can then speak.

I followed the rule, I was never acknowledged.

— Jim Shirk is a Carson City Supervisor for Ward 4. He can be reached at (775) 720-5761 or by email, ILoveCarsonCity@yahoo.com.