2013 legislative session called a plus for Carson

Carson City’s government emerged from the 2013 Legislature in good shape, according to Mary Walker, the city’s lobbyist.

Walker, who works on behalf of a four-county regional coalition, said enactment of Senate Bill 3 decreases the amount that Carson City pays the state by 23 percent, or about $630,000. The bill limits how much counties must spend on long-term indigent care.

“Passing SB3 was very critical,” she said, adding it cleared the final hurdle on the regular session’s final night.

“Basically, I would say overall we had a very successful session,” Walker told the Board of Supervisors on Thursday. The session produced 1,123 bills, 440 of which her lobbying firm and city staffers tracked continually, she said.

Walker’s four-county coalition covers Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties and Carson City. That gives the coalition much more clout than any one county or government unit could expect working alone, she said.

Mayor Robert Crowell said the result of the session “gives us the ability to at least budget now.”

Supervisor John McKenna, meanwhile, voiced apprehension that legislators from Las Vegas and others among their colleagues who are political ignore benefits of local control.

“I think we’re under attack,” he said.

Walker also looked ahead, saying interim studies over the next 18 months will require a watchful eye.

“It’s going to be a busy interim,” she said.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a contract to erect a new LED programmable sign at the community center; Custom Sign and Crane will handle the job for $100,716.

• Gave initial approval to a zoning ordinance defining kennels as places with 10 or more dogs, which is a follow-up ordinance to one that requires permits for people of who have three to nine dogs that are older than 6 months at one location.

• Reviewed City Manager Larry Werner and his staff’s success in meeting goals and objectives. Some minor changes were made in matters still pending, but there was no criticism of staff actions.