The most substantial change to the city’s election map is a block of homes south of Fairview Drive moving from Ward 4 to Ward 3, indicated in yellow.
The 2020 U.S. Census found that Carson City has gained 3,365 residents in the past decade, bringing the total population to 58,639. On Thursday, the Board of Supervisors modified city election ward boundaries to accommodate growth.
The map changes are minimal, adding several blocks to Wards 3 and 4. The process of changing the ward boundaries is known as redistricting, which balances the population in each ward.
Aubrey Rowlatt, clerk-recorder, led city redistricting and reported that each ward now has approximately 14,700 residents.
She received two public comments on the map, one commending the clerk-recorder’s office for a job well done, and another from the Las Vegas Indian Center asking the city to protect Native American communities of interest. Per the map that LVIC provided, Carson City’s indigenous population fits wholly in Ward 4.
Carson City votes at large, meaning all residents get to vote on every Board of Supervisors candidate, but the board must be comprised of one candidate from each ward, plus the mayor.
The supervisors approved the proposed map without any changes and little discussion.
They will meet again Dec. 30 to hold a second reading, adopting the map into law.
Sheri Russell, chief financial officer, also gave a presentation on some highlights from the city’s annual comprehensive financial report. The 2021 fiscal year ended June 30.
Notably, a significant proportion of city revenue, 15.8 percent, came from grants. That’s over a 10-point increase from 2020 and an eight-point increase from 2019.
General fund revenue was 33 percent higher than expenses. Among governmental activities, the top three expenses included public safety, general government, and public works.
The supervisors discussed their monetary goals for 2022. Mayor Lori Bagwell said she would like to use unallocated funds to start repairing neighborhood roads. Since 2017, the city has exclusively funded regional road repairs.
Supervisor Maurice White expressed interest in funding stormwater repairs and improvements. And Supervisor Stacey Giomi added that, alongside spending unallocated funds, the city should continue to save money for uncertain times.
Among other agenda items, the supervisors:
• Approved an affordable housing project on Butti Way and allocated land to the development, with a second reading of the contract.
• Modified the Carson City Municipal Code to match the city charter, requiring new election maps to be adopted into law, rather than written into city policy.
• Appointed Gregory Novak and reappointed Charles Macquarie to the Regional Transportation Commission.
Their meeting Dec. 30 to adopt the altered election map will begin at 9 a.m. in the Robert “Bob” Crowell Board Room of the Community Center on 851 E. William St. The full agenda with additional details has yet to be released.
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