Daryl Zanuck in 1962 put out a movie about World War II’s Normandy invasion called “The Longest Day.”
At three hours, some critics dubbed it the longest movie.
Fast-forward 51 years to Carson City.
Though carnage will be minimal, the Board of Supervisors might well face its own longest day come Thursday. The agenda concludes with a 5:30 p.m. Community Center meeting to take testimony about narrowing traffic flow on Carson Street downtown from four lanes to two, a plan supporters tout as pedestrian-friendly and opponents say will prove a bottleneck.
But earlier in the day, the board tackles such issues as updated building codes, distribution of community development block grant funds, refunding of bonds, various Health and Human Services Department fees, and consideration of a water and sewer rate study to evaluate changes in cost allocations.
Move over, Mr. Zanuck; three hours can’t rival this grueling agenda.
• • •
What price schmooze?
The federal Bureau of Land Management budget proposal for fiscal year 2014 from President Obama is $1.2 billion. So what is $275 from that? Factually, it’s $1,199,999,725.
To Lisa Ross, Carson City-based BLM public-affairs specialist, it’s “a small price to pay” for involvement with the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber, in recent online briefs, reported, “Please welcome our newest Chamber member, the Bureau of Land Management and their Public Affairs Specialist Lisa Ross.”
That prompted a call to Ross about cost, which is $275 annually.
Ross didn’t volunteer whether she picked up the tab out of her federal salary or put it on the taxpayers’ cuff.
Either way, it must indeed be a small price to pay. The BLM employs 10,250 folks on our behalf. My calculator says that with a $1.2 billion budget, pay and handling charges per BLM worker next year will hit more than $117,000 each, on average.
• • •
Speaking of the chamber, it has a slate of candidates for three-year terms beginning July 1.
The preliminary slate: Bob Tote, Costco; Curt Spradley, Carson Coffee; Carol Swanson, Mary Kay; Gordon Gagno, Rubber Engineering and Development Co. (REDCO); and Joyce Whitney-Silva, Greater Nevada Credit Union (GNCU). Chamber members may nominate others for consideration.
Stan Jones of The Purple Avocado is current board chair, and the incoming chair is Lisa Stirgus of Wells Fargo. Currently she is first vice chair.
Gil Yanuck of AARP Nevada is second vice chair, Terrie McNutt of Silver Oak Golf Course and Event Center is secretary/treasurer, and Court Cardinal of Casino Fandango is immediate past chair. The chamber also has a dozen directors.
John Barrette covers Carson City government and business. He can be reached at jbarrette@nevadaappeal.com
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