Public safety requests need further review

Carson City supervisors decided Thursday more than $2 million in public safety improvements suggested for the next two years need more study.

The proposals made in the public safety master plan will be reviewed in detail during the city's budget sessions, which begin March 18. A workshop for public safety issues will be March 19, City Manager John Berkich said.

Fire Chief Lou Buckley said the issues identified to be completed in two years -- which range from hiring nine dispatchers to building a new sheriff's office -- don't necessarily have to meet that time frame.

"I didn't see anything in here that I didn't know we needed," Supervisor Richard Staub said. "'We have to deal with this based on what we have in front of us; $2.4 million. That's what I need to prioritize and focus on. "

Buckley and Sheriff Rod Banister said they didn't agree with all the scenarios in the public safety master plan, approved in November, and had other needs they would prefer to see addressed this year.

City leaders decided a better way to assess public safety needs would be in a workshop setting.

While Buckley is requesting funding for an extra unit that could move between fire and ambulance services, city leaders approved Thursday a free ambulance staffing option that will take three firefighters from Station 3 and three from Station 1 to create a multi-use unit at Station 1 that can act as the multipurpose unit.

"This is not the best option, but it's the only one that will come under budge," Buckley said.

But Mayor Ray Masayko said with city budget constraints, Buckley should get used to the idea the transfer won't be temporary.

"I don't want to lead anyone on. You're going to be operating in this mode for several years," Masayko said. "I wish there were an absolute silver bullet alternative."