Supervisor: Nothing in stone on Carson St. proposal

Carson City Supervisor John McKenna said Friday narrowing Carson Street traffic to two lanes and allowing parallel parking isn’t decided.“It’s not even close to being a done deal,” he said. He said he sometimes votes for what he called “procedural” issues and his vote to have staff solidify plans regarding the potential project may wind up having been just that, not support for the plan.The vote on refining plans before going forward was 4-0 with Supervisor Karen Abowd absent.In an email to Mayor Robert Crowell, City Manager Larry Werner and the two supervisors-elect who will be sworn in Monday, McKenna said this: “One of the objections that I did not bring up (Thursday) was that the Freeway was not completed and until then, I do not see any way that Carson Street can responsibly be made into a two-lane road.”McKenna said he didn’t bring that objection up because there is a need to obtain more facts, adding no decision was made to implement anything.His email to the mayor and city manager also went to Brad Bonkowski and Jim Shirk, who will fill the seats being vacated by Shelly Aldean and Molly Walt. A copy was sent to the Nevada Appeal as well. McKenna said various issues between now and when staff returns with a refined plan and a revenue source to pay for changes, may well intervene to impact a final Board of Supervisors decision.“There are other issues coming up,” he said in a separate interview. For example, he said, one new supervisor may want to have a redevelopment district formed for the city’s east side and/or north side.He also said “fiscal cliff” cuts from elsewhere may affect the city budget, a byproduct of recent economic problems, and will make supervisors look closely at all expenditures.The proposed plan would re-stripe paint and micro-pave Carson Street through the downtown to cut traffic lanes from four to two, allowing parallel parking after removal of wrought iron fences along sidewalks. Staff projected the cost at $150,000.