Bolstering city government’s truck fleet Thursday accompanied two separate reports to Carson City’s Board of Supervisors regarding lack of snow melt but no lack of state legislation.
The board voted unanimously to spend $627,442 to purchase a half dozen trucks for the city’s Public Works Department to replace old vehicles going to auction after up to 138,000 miles of wear. The old trucks were model years ranging from 1995 to 2003. Zach Good, city fleet manager, said in a pre-vote presentation his unit tries to extend the life of older vehicles “as best we can,” but standard life expectancy is about 100,000 miles.
Public Works Director Darren Schulz said the funds were previously budgeted and were part of what normally runs to roughly $1 million in vehicle purchases annually, which were split between fall and spring action.
“These are all utility and street vehicles,” Schulz said. Supervisors heard the presentation, then asked various questions about the proposed outlay before giving their blessing. Supervisor Lori Bagwell asked for and received the accounting about the length of use and serviceability, or lack thereof, regarding the vehicles being replaced.
When it came to the lack of snow melt and water, as well as the abundance of state legislation, the reports came near the conclusion of the day’s board action. The separate accounts alerted those still on hand about new details of ongoing problems or situations already apparent.
Supervisor Brad Bonkowski said he and Supervisor Karen Abowd had attended a meeting involving the Carson Water Subconservancy District and learned the snow pack as winter draws to a close is 19 percent of normal, so without a significant snow storm to come spring run off has peaked even before spring’s official arrival. Abowd added the situation is worse than the drought of 1977.
City Manager Nick Marano, meanwhile, indicated just before that news from the two supervisors there’s a blizzard of bills as he reviewed legislation in which city government has an interest. He also said some introduced late and by minority Democrats may prove unable to reach the governor’s desk.
“We just got another dump last night,” Marano said. Among bills he cited were Assembly Bill 191, which calls for a statewide vote on fuel tax indexing to provide revenue for roads and streets, AB377, dealing with the decommissioned Nevada State Prison’s historic landmark and tourist prospects, and Senate Bill 382, a sales tax measure related to Internet purchases. Those three, he said, are supported by the city.
Maurice White, a retired government worker who serves on the Airport Authority, urged active support for AB191, the prison bill, and active opposition to AB190. He said the latter would “effectively destroy” Nevada’s Public Employees Retirement System.
The board earlier in the meeting adopted a resolution to enter into an interlocal contract involving city and state government, a pact through which the city pays $150,000 per year for wildland fire protection.
In other action, the board approved a $136,000 contract for Vali Cooper & Associates, Inc., to provide construction inspection augmentation during building of the city’s multi-purpose athletic center and the new animal services center. Schulz said this augmentation is to make sure the city gets what it pays for, while a previous pact with another firm for “special inspections” is to make certain building codes are followed.
The board also gave the go-ahead for a 2015 Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement grant of $160,000 for design of a north apron ramp reconstruction at Carson City’s Municipal Airport. as well as for city Health and Human Services to apply for a Hospital Preparedness Program Ebola preparedness and response activities grant of $80,000 over five years.
