Carson City supervisors pass Cochise rezoning

The Board of Supervisors started 2019 off with a short meeting ending with a tribute to departing Supervisor Karen Abowd.

First, the board took care of business, including passing two rezoning ordinances.

One rezones five parcels on two Cochise Street addresses to retail commercial and the second rezones 119 acres off Deer Run Road near Highway 50 to a mix of single-family 6000, multifamily apartment, general commercial and public regional.

The first was passed on a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Brad Bonkowski, who earlier voiced concerns about traffic congestion, voting no. The latter was passed unanimously.

The board reappointed Jill Rasner and Mallory Wilson as members of the Board of Equalization and Jed Block as its chairman. And the supervisors appointed Trish Trenoweth, director, Sales & Marketing, Carson Nugget Casino Hotel, as a hotel/motel operator representative to the Culture and Tourism Authority.

Jean Perpich, the recently appointed public guardian for Carson City, delivered a quarterly report. She said she has been working to streamline some of the office’s operations and to move to online bill paying. The office currently has 73 cases.

Thursday’s meeting was the last board meeting for Abowd, who served as Ward 1 supervisor for two terms.

“It’s a bittersweet new year. We’ve been here eight years and we’ve seen a lot in eight years,” said Mayor Bob Crowell, who presented Abowd with two framed pictures. “In appreciation of eight years of service above and beyond.”

Five people spoke during public comment, talking about Abowd’s accomplishments while serving as supervisor.

Abowd’s husband, Charlie Abowd, mentioned her work on the Sexual Assault Response Team, which provides assistance to sexual assault survivors who in the past had to go to Reno for treatment.

“The biggie is the Greenhouse Project and what that has done for the community,” said Don Carlson.

Abowd also worked on an assistance program for low-income rate payers with Supervisor Lori Bagwell, and she was instrumental in creating the city’s arts and culture coordinator position.

“It was a privilege to serve this community. I am glad to have a made a difference and I didn’t do it alone,” said Abowd.

Incoming Ward 1 Supervisor Stacey Giomi will be sworn in on Monday at noon in the Carson City Courthouse. Alongside him will be Justice of the Peace Dept. 1 Tom Armstrong, Ward 3 Supervisor Bagwell, Assessor David Dawley, Sheriff Ken Furlong, Treasurer Gayle Robertson, and District Attorney Jason Woodbury, all re-elected, and newly elected Justice of the Peace Dept. 2 Kristin Luis and Aubrey Rowlatt, the city’s new clerk-recorder.