Carson City Cultural Commission sends plan to Supervisors

Body makes recommendation at lengthy meeting

Carson City’s Cultural Commission recommended Tuesday the Board of Supervisors recognize a previous community cultural plan as the cultural master plan for the city.

The unanimous vote sent the recommendation on to the governing board, but discussion before the action was the Carson City Arts Assessment and Creative Capital Community Plan needed updating and the commission was prepared to take on that task. The plan was done early in the century and included in a 2005 vote by a previous board involving implementation moves.

Updating would include the city’s changed demographics and recognition of what in the earlier plan has been accomplished, what remains to be done and what new needs might have developed, according to various comments from commissioners, staff and people testifying.

Yet the goal was to avoid going over ground already covered by the arts community and civic leaders.

“Don’t reinvent the wheel,” said Sharon Rosse of the Carson City Arts Initiative (CCAI). “I think it would be unnecessary to start over.”

“It was really well done,” Mary Works Covington of the Nevada Arts Council said of the original community plan. She said many leaders still active in the city were involved in making the assessment and drafting the document. She was the one, however, who stressed updates on changed demographics and other matters would be necessary.

Earlier the commission had considered obtaining a grant and starting from scratch on a cultural master plan, but Covington since has unearthed the original assessment and plan for city staff so it was brought before members Tuesday in a lengthy session. Roger Moellendorf, Parks and Recreation Department director, said the previous city governing board’s action in 2005 referred to the creative capital community arts plan as part of economic strategy.

In other action during the more than three hour meeting, commissioners elected Elinor Bugli as chairperson and Terri McBride as vice chairperson. They also approved final graphic designs for street banners being put up under a coordinated program in conjunction with the city’s Visitors Bureau.

In addition, the commission heard detailed a report on Stewart Indian School plans for cultural and welcome centers, from Rosse on CCAI exhibits and grants, and about the Feb. 5-7 International Film Weekend at the Bob Boldrick Theater in the Community Center and at Western Nevada College.