Nearly two dozen meetings are scheduled throughout Carson Valley May 11-14 to find out what Douglas County residents think about their community and what they think would make it better.
The Nevada Rural Development Council has scheduled one-hour sessions targeted at different communities throughout Carson Valley.
Called "listening sessions," organizers will ask residents to tell them what the biggest challenges the community faces, what they feel their greatest assets are and what they would like to see accomplished in the county in the short and long term.
Kathy Halbardier of the Northern Nevada Development Authority, one of the sponsors of the community assessment, said they're looking for a grassroots point of view.
"We want to know what they see," she said. "We want to ask every person in the community all three questions."
The culmination of the meetings in Carson Valley will be a May 14 town hall meeting where the preliminary results will be presented. The meeting will be held in the CVIC Hall in Minden.
Executive Director Clint Koble said the assessments have been done in Wells and Pershing County, where they were very popular with residents.
As a result of the meetings in Wells, officials immediately started taking action in response to residents' overwhelming desire to see the city property cleaned up, Koble said.
In Wells, committees formed in the wake of the sessions were turning members away so they could reach a quorum.
Sponsors for May's community assessment include Douglas County, Nevada State Bank, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
It's supported by the Northern Nevada Development Authority, Western Nevada Development District, Nevada Commission on Economic Development, the Small Business Development Center and the Community Development Block Grant Program.
Sessions for Topaz Ranch Estates and Lake Tahoe will be conducted at a later date.
For information, contact Koble at (775) 546-3198 or nrdc@gbis.com.
All comments are kept anonymous and no debate; we are looking for concise answers to the three questions regarding challenges, assets, and accomplishments.
May 11
1:15 p.m. " Gardnerville Ranchos at East Fork Fire & Paramedic District's Ranchos Station 7, 940 Mitch Drive
2:45 p.m. " Healthcare/social services/non-profits at Copeland Cultural Arts Center, 1572 Highway 395, Minden
4 p.m. " Economic development at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
6:30 p.m. " Gardnerville general public at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
7:45 p.m. " Real estate/building and construction at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
May 12
8:15 a.m. " Public Safety: Sheriff/paramedics/judicial at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
9:30 a.m. " Financial institutions at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
10:45 a.m. " Arts and culture at Copeland Cultural Arts Center
2:15 p.m. " Manufacturing at Tahoe Ridge Production, 2232 Meridian Blvd., Unit L, Meridian Park on Airport Road
3:45 p.m. " North county/Indian Hills at Indian Hills General Improvement District meeting room
6:30 p.m. " Genoa general public at Genoa Town Hall meeting room
7:45 p.m. " Agriculture at Genoa Town Hall meeting room
May 13
8 a.m. " Douglas High School at high school library/media center
9:30 a.m. " Religions at Douglas County commission chambers, 1616 Eighth St., Minden
10:45 a.m. " Seniors at Douglas County Senior Center, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville
1:15 p.m. " Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California at Washoe Housing Authority Headquarter Conference Room, Dresslerville Colony, 1588 Watasheamu Drive
2:45 p.m. " Parks and recreation/trails association at Douglas County commission chambers
4 p.m. " Educators at Douglas County commission chambers
6:30 p.m. " Minden general public at Douglas County commission chambers
May 14
8 a.m. " Douglas High School at high school library/media center
9:30 a.m. " Government: County/towns/GIDs at Douglas County commission chambers.
10:45 a.m. " Business/retail/chamber/tourism/hospitality at county commission chambers
7 p.m. " Town Hall Meeting at CVIC Hall in Minden.
