Carson City panel finishes draft cultural master plan

A Cultural Commission subcommittee finished working on a Carson City Cultural Master Plan draft document Wednesday, and it next goes to the full commission on Sept. 24.

The three-member subcommittee voted without dissent to incorporate much language from the full commission’s 2011 strategic plan into the proposed master plan, which also relies on updated language from a Creative Capital document put together originally more than a decade ago. Parks Planner Vern Krahn and Terri McBride, subcommittee chairperson, will pull together the disparate but overlapping elements into final form for next month’s commission workshop session.

McBride indicated Wednesday she thinks neither the city’s Parks and Recreation Department nor the Brewery Arts Center (BAC) should be the lead agency or organization to seek, handle and administer private or public sector grants or donations to help cultural events or art displays in Carson City. She cited an earlier recommendation from a state official against using the city department.

“That’s going to be an important point to remember as we move forward,” she said, noting it hadn’t been included in the minutes of a previous meeting. She also spoke in what she called blunt terms about the BAC.

“There is some nervousness,” she told Gina Hill of the BAC about putting all of the community’s cultural grant-seeking eggs and related matters in the BAC basket. She cited previous upheaval in the organization.

Hill, BAC director, said there previously had been some BAC chaos when an organizational plan was crafted that didn’t include such a possible role. But she said the BAC was capable for any task and indicated whatever direction the subcommittee and commission turn, the BAC wanted “a seat at the table.”

McBride presented demographic information showing community population was at least 21.3 percent Hispanic or Latino, up more than seven percentage points from 2000. The subcommittee has attempted some outreach to the Hispanic-Latino community and Native Americans while working on the master plan. The demographics data also showed the city was somewhat older than in 2000, but it was noted more than half of city residents were aged 25-65.

The Sept. 24 workshop meeting will be on that fourth Thursday next month at 5:30 p.m. in the Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St. The plan later must go to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as well.