Carson City Board of Supervisors, NNDA working on increasing broadband speed

Carson City is working to improve broadband access in the city’s industrial area.

Fast Internet access affecting manufacturers was one of several issues discussed at the Board of Supervisors meeting Thursday.

Roads, sidewalks and, especially, the area labor pool are the other top concerns of companies located on and around Arrowhead Drive, according to Rob Hooper, executive director of the Northern Nevada Development Authority, who gave an update on the city’s retention and expansion economic development plan.

Hooper said NNDA is talking to Switch, which operates huge data centers in Las Vegas and Reno, to locate a mobile data center there that would provide faster access.

“We’re exploring a lot of different options for broadband,” said Hooper.

Supervisor Brad Bonkowski said he and Mayor Bob Crowell had met with representatives from AT&T and he had met with other companies, including Charter Communications, about tapping into the existing fiber optic trunks in the area.

Crowell said he’s working to get more funding for Western Nevada College, which provides workforce development and classes such as welding, in the next legislative session.

“WNC got shortchanged in my view,” he said.

Hooper said finding qualified workers was the No. 1 worry for manufacturers.

The situation is being exacerbated by Telsa Motors, which Hooper said plans to hire 6,000 workers by this time next year. Manufacturers throughout the state are dealing with the same problems, he said, so the economic development authorities have formed the Western Manufacturers Association and are holding their first roundtable next week.

Panasonic Corp., Tesla’s battery partner, and IGT, the Reno slots maker, are taking part because Hooper said even large manufacturers are having trouble finding workers.

Roads are another issue for Carson City’s manufacturers.

Nick Marano, city manager, said the city has prioritized some maintenance projects in the area, including a new program repairing wide cracks which started on Arrowhead and the reconstruction of large portions of Goni Road.

Hooper said NNDA is working with local manufacturers to try to organize their street concerns, which include traffic, a lack of sidewalks and the intersection at Arrowhead and Goni.

The group is looking into U.S. Economic Development Administration planning grants, which can be used for studies and strategy plans.

Finally, Hooper said he wanted to help manufacturers who haven’t been working at full steam, after paring down due to the recession, to get back to full capacity, which in turn would create jobs.