Outgoing Carson City Manager Nancy Paulson poses with flowers and a mini ‘Sense of Place’ sculpture for her official last Board of Supervisors meeting June 20, 2025. To the right, Supervisor Lisa Schuette and Mayor Lori Bagwell commemorate the occasion.
Photo by Scott Neuffer.
After reappointing Sarena Nichols and Elizabeth Markle, the Carson City Board of Supervisors on Friday appointed two new members to the five-member Library Board of Trustees: Reena Spansail and Anne Lenhares.
The vote was 4-0, with Supervisor Curtis Horton absent. The reappointments were for four-year terms, and the new members, both Carson residents, were appointed to partial terms due to resignations — Spansail for a one-year term and Lenhares for a two-year term.
The function of the Library Board of Trustees is “to govern all library policy and to hold property and effects of the library in trust for the public,” according to the city’s website.
Eight candidates were interviewed for the new positions, with questions touching on library programming, potential gaps in service, the physical capacity and functions of the library as well as reasons for applying.
Spansail is an English and art teacher and was editor in chief of the Montag Research Journal at UNR, according to the resume filed with the city.
“I would like to be a library board trustee because I really care about literacy in my community,” Spansail told supervisors. “I define literacy as the ability to connect with information and use it to improve your own life.”
Spansail talked about the library as a “third space” outside of home where people can get together.
Lenhares, who has experience teaching K-12 and at the college level, also stressed the importance of the library as a community center.
“I linger in the library on occasion, and I see many different types of people… and they’re all treated respectfully, and they’re all given what appears to me what they need,” she said.
In other action:
• As part of the consent agenda, supervisors unanimously approved an agreement between the city and Axon Enterprise Inc. for “body-worn cameras, car cameras, video, digital storage/retention, data processing, video investigation features and virtual training” costing $5.8 million including a contingency of $285,425.61, according to the agenda.
The agreement for CCSO use would run through July 31, 2035.
State law requires body cameras for law enforcement personnel in the field. The city has contracted with Axon since 2018.
• Supervisors voted 4-0 to adopt an ordinance designating Carson City as the administrator of the Downtown Neighborhood Improvement District.
Supervisors unanimously approved the first reading June 5.
The DNID was created in 2016 for property owners downtown to help maintain streetscape improvements. It was administered by a nonprofit association before the association notified the city in April it would not be renewing the agreement.
The South Carson Neighborhood Improvement District, created in 2021, is also administered by the city.
• Supervisors voted 3-1, with Supervisor Maurice White opposed, to adopt an ordinance creating a planned unit development for 240 townhomes on 22 acres (including eight acres of open common area) north and west of Morgan Mill Road in east Carson.
The ordinance changes the zoning of the property from multifamily apartment and public regional to multifamily PUD and would establish a tentative subdivision map.
Supervisors voted 4-1 on June 5 to approve the first reading of the ordinance. White voted against the measure then as well, citing concerns about the zoning change and acceptance of a new public road, which is planned for the site’s western boundary.
• Without taking formal action, supervisors directed staff to bring back particulars of a potential lease for 12,120 square feet of office space at 600 E. William St., suite 100. The location would be used as the clerk-recorder’s office if a lease is approved.
The clerk-recorder is moving out of the Carson City Courthouse as that building will be renovated for an additional justice of the peace.
Supervisors are exploring a 10-year lease for 600 E. William St., with the first three months free and then a cost of $2.20 per square foot for months 4-12, plus 3 percent annual increases. The city put the aggregate amount at nearly $3.6 million.
The city is also evaluating options for a new city hall that could hold the clerk-recorder’s office as well. Consequently, Mayor Lori Bagwell wanted an “offramp” for the potential 600 E. William St., lease at the three-, five- and seven-year marks.
Supervisors further wanted the owner, BOAC LTD., to contribute to tenant improvements and a schedule showing those costs broken out from the lease amount.
Robert Nellis, the city’s asset services manager, estimated tenant improvements would total $1 million.
Clerk-Recorder Scott Hoen wrote a June 16 letter expressing concerns about the complicated layout the office will need and the “very tight and aggressive” timeline to move in by Dec. 15.
“I cannot and will not move operations during the election year of 2026,” Hoen wrote.
Nellis said the city toured six other buildings.
“This one rose to the top because… the space is essentially configurable to the unique needs of the clerk-recorder,” he told supervisors. “Other considerations that came into play were being near the community center where we anticipate continuing to have elections, so it’s great proximity to that.”
IT infrastructure, parking and a visible location were other factors, Nellis explained.
• Supervisors and staff gave outgoing City Manager Nancy Paulson flowers and a mini sculpture resembling the larger “Sense of Place” artwork in the South Carson Street roundabout.
Paulson has been with the city for more than 26 years and is set to retire at the end of June. Friday was her last Board of Supervisors meeting as city manager.
“I have enjoyed our twice-a-month board meetings, and I’ll miss all of the board members and the employees of Carson City. So, thank you for a good run,” she said.
Bagwell added, “We really just want to say congratulations, have a happy retirement, and we’ll miss you.”
Supervisor Lisa Schuette praised Paulson’s spirit of cooperation. Supervisor Stacy Giomi recalled working with Paulson as former fire chief.
“I just appreciate, all through Nancy’s time, both in finance and as city manager, the fact that she kept her sights focused on what was best for our community and how tirelessly dedicated she was to her job as city manager and to the functioning of quality city government,” Giomi said.