Three politically-motivated men are vying for two available seats on the Gardnerville Town Board. The top two vote-earners will take the seats, or, in Paul Lindsay's case, keep a seat.
Lindsay, current vice chair of the board, is running for reelection. The other seat belongs to veteran board member Randy Slater, who was barred from seeking reelection because of maxed-out term limits.
Lindsay, a 37-year-old electrical engineer, has lived in Gardnerville for 13 years. He was appointed to the board in 2002 and reelected in 2004.
Lindsay said his biggest accomplishments have been implementing the town's Plan for Prosperity, design guidelines, two phases of street lighting and the creation of the Main Street Gardnerville Program.
"Helping the downtown core develop businesses helps the entire town," he said. "[The Main Street Program] teaches us how to promote downtown. But there's no overnight solution."
Lindsay serves on the Main Street Gardnerville Board of Directors and its committee for economic restructuring.
"We have the task to go through and look at the data and get information on what types of businesses could be successful downtown, what types we need as well as what types we'll support," he said.
Lindsay would also like to see more events downtown. But he realizes a poor economy limits expenditures.
"In these economic times, it's more difficult to do everything, and we have to prioritize," he said.
One of his priorities is to improve the town's drainage infrastructure.
"The town board has been saying all along that there is a big issue using irrigation ditches for our drainage system," he said.
Lindsay also saw the Park Cattle project come before the board. He said he voted against it.
"The project had a lot of merits, but there were too many unanswered questions," he said. "They were projecting 40 years in the future, and it's hard to know what we'd want that to look like. The flood plain studies are not up to par, and the idea of pushing the project through without that understanding gave me heartburn."
Robin Bernhard, the 38-year-old owner of Bon Vivant Gourmet Gift Baskets, has lived in Gardnerville for four years. He said his campaign is focused on water, alternative energy, recycling and public defibrillators.
"I am a fan of current town board members," he said, "but I would like to see more communication on the subject of water locally."
He pointed to the recent sinkhole on Toler Lane.
"There has been an apparent lack of communication between Gardnerville and areas upstream and downstream," he said.
He said any growth that alters the town's water resources should be approached carefully.
Bernhard would also like to make Gardnerville a "showcase town" for alternative energy.
"I would look into rebates for citizens taking on alternative energy measures in their homes and businesses," he said. "I would work with Bently and other companies to see what technologies could be brought to harness wind and solar that go through the Valley everyday."
He said the town could work with energy companies to retool its own operations.
"There would be exposure for alternative energy companies as well as publicity for the town," he said.
He also wants Gardnerville to implement a recycling program.
"I want to make it easy and complimentary for our residents," he said. "An immense amount of waste is going to the dump, filling the landfill and raising waste management costs. By recycling, we could reduce that amount, and there would be benefits for everyone."
Bernhard addressed the town's aging population, saying public defibrillators should be installed for heart attack victims.
"If there is an incident in either Gardnerville or Minden, a resident should be no more than half a mile from a defibrillation station," he said. "It would be just one more way the people of Gardnerville could help their neighbors in a time of need, which the people of Gardnerville and Minden are known for."
Michael Smith, a 52-year-old videographer, has lived in Gardnerville for five years.
"After about six months of being here, I decided this was my home," said Smith. "There are so many newbies in this town, and there is a sharp division between them and the older people. There is a lot of resistance from the older people, and I want to prove to them that this is my town, too."
Smith said he's already been active in the community, whether donating food to the Carson Valley Community Food Closet or showcasing local businesses in his television show, Nevada Trails, which airs on Douglas County community access channel 16.
"I've been promoting Gardnerville quite a bit," Smith said. "I want to let people know I'm serious about living here."
Smith said one of his main concerns is traffic.
"A lot of people in the subdivisions are driving like crazy," he said. "Slow them down, or someone will get hit by a car."
Smith said the crosswalks at the S-curve and other parts of Highway 395 are inadequate. He said new safety measures need to be implemented.
"I wouldn't cross that street," he said. "People are tired of it."
Smith also expressed concern about additional development within the town.
"I don't like the idea of building more without a water study," he said. "If we have another flood in five years, we'll regret building."
Smith said the town should focus on attracting visitors, not residents.
"We should try to get people to visit," he said, "to spend money and leave, with no more growth."
Smith said the town government should be cutting expenses, just as businesses have been forced to do because of the economy.
"Town board positions should be voluntary," he said. "There should not be salaries. Our taxes are already too high. We can either reduce costs or raise taxes. I don't see anyone on the board cutting costs."
