In the Old Testament Biblical tale of David and Goliath, the hero slays a giant Philistine warrior with a slingshot and sword.
That image, in odd ways, springs to mind as Carson City grapples with the David of downtown Carson Street and the Goliath that is the community’s sewage treatment plant.
City government held two significant meetings last week in the Community Center’s Sierra Room.
Only one or two people from the public showed up Thursday morning as the Board of Supervisors analyzed a $48.3 million proposal, one way in which supervisors might wind up improving the decrepit warrior treating city waste.
That night, however, the room was packed over a $30,000 plan to restripe Carson Street from 5th to Anne streets with paint and allow parallel parking. The idea is aimed at making downtown pedestrian-friendly.
Emotions ran high at the evening workshop.
In other words, David seemed to grab the limelight, fulfilling his Kingship destiny by felling the morning’s Goliath.
For the moment, a huge project was obscured despite the prospect of raising sewage utility rates 10 percent annually for five years.
Almost undoubtedly policy-makers will try to tamp down that rate hike possibility. But there are few good options.
Whether there are good options regarding downtown traffic is another question, but it’s unlikely downtown David will keep slaying by obscurity the odiferous Philistine handling Carson City sewage.
Sooner or later, folks will figure out flushing their toilets in the comfort of their homes is at least as important as driving their cars quickly through town.
Should Goliath, our representative here for the treatment plant, fail at anyone’s hand the consequences will overshadow downtown David. Paying to upgrade the plant is an attention-grabber as well.
Parts of this doddering warrior sewage treatment plant, by all accounts, are vulnerable without getting stoned in the head.
If fate fells it, Carson City residents may experience emotions inspired by a different sword — the Sword of Damocles.
Damocles grew uneasy as he sat under it briefly on the throne of Dionysius II.
Next Thursday, the Board of Supervisors tackles questions about whether to authorize a deputy city manager and how to proceed with city government budget deliberations. Supervisors meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Center’s Sierra Room Thursday.
On Tuesday, also in the Sierra Room, the city-county Cultural Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m.
John Barrette covers Carson City government and business. He can be reached at jbarrette@nevadaappeal.com.
