Redevelopment priorities for Carson City set

The Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee determined its discretionary spending recommendation for the new fiscal year.

The city has more money to allocate this year thanks to a big drop — from $480,000 to $58,000 — in the incentive package for Michael Hohl Automotive Group, which is money that will now go into the redevelopment budget.

For fiscal year 2020, RACC voted to allocate $610,000 to new projects: $190,000 to repaving the 3rd Street parking lot on Curry Street where the farmer’s market is held; $52,000 on redoing the pool deck at the Carson Aquatic Facility; $100,000 on putting more downtown power lines underground; $85,000 to replace gas lamps on Curry Street; $25,000 for a shared trash enclosure for downtown businesses; $26,000 for snow and trash removal downtown; $80,000 for a study on ways to improve traffic circulation on South Carson Street cross streets; and $10,000 for signage in Fuji Park, $12,000 for signs in Mills Park, and $30,000 for a new sign for Marv Teixeira Pavilion.

The recommendation passed by RACC on Monday goes to the Redevelopment Authority for its approval.

The items for trash and snow removal downtown were estimates. The city is talking to property owners now to find a location for a new enclosure and then to build it.

“Trash is a huge issue,” said Angela Bullentini Wolf, RACC’s newest member and owner of Gather, the downtown restaurant.

RACC is also recommending funding for special events be lowered to $10,000 from $12,500 and eliminated after 2020.

RACC member Michael Smith suggested leaving some money for new events that haven’t received funding in the past, but Court Cardinal, committee chair, said it has long been a goal of the committee to stop funding special events.

“People on this committee got tired of picking winners and losers,” said Supervisor John Barrette, who sits on RACC.

Some events, such as the 4th of July fireworks, have been moved into the RACC budget and are funded that way while others can apply to the Cultural Commission for some limited funding. There’s also $15,812 still undesignated in the RACC coffers.

Some proposed projects didn’t make the cut, including rehabbing the Aquatic Facility fitness center, and several projects at Ross Gold Park, primarily because those facilities are used almost exclusively by residents and don’t bring new business to the redevelopment areas.

Before the new fiscal year, Public Works is scheduled to remove the historic blue line, a $26,000 project recommended by RACC in 2016.

The Culture and Tourism Authority is seeking grants to buy and install medallions or placards in the blue line’s place to guide walkers on the tour of downtown mansions and historic homes.