Supervisor Maurice White considers a synthetic turf project at Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
After deliberating on characteristics and costs of materials, the Carson City Board of Supervisors made their selection: encapsulated rubber.
The unanimous vote Thursday was for the infill material for what will amount to an estimated $6 million endeavor to convert the four upper softball fields at Centennial Park in northeast Carson to artificial, or synthetic, turf. Supervisors previously ruled out crumb rubber from recycled tire but were more receptive to encapsulated rubber.
“So, what is encapsulated rubber?” said Nick Wentworth, project manager for Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space. “Encapsulated rubber infill material refers to a type of rubber used as infill for artificial turf where the individual rubber particles are coated with protective layers essentially encapsulating them to reduce the release of potentially harmful chemicals and improve the overall performance and longevity of the turf surface.”
Wentworth added, “Through the research that I did, it seems like the turf industry also recognized the concerns of traditional crumb rubber and took these strides to transform the best-performing infill option into a more environmentally safe solution.”
Supervisors inquired if natural infill like walnut shells (wood, cork, coconut and olive pits were other options) could be likewise protected to avoid decomposition and the need for herbicide. As pointed out by staff, natural infill requires synthetic underlayment mats because it’s not as good for shock absorption.
“I think in a world where we have all the money available to us to spend on Centennial fields that we wanted, I don’t think any of us would disagree it would be great to have natural grass there. It would be great to have a warmed natural grass field with warmth underneath, so we could play longer with a staff that is there all the time, keeping those fields in playing shape,” said Supervisor Stacey Giomi. “But we can’t afford that. It’s just not going to happen. Overwhelmingly, the softball players that I’ve talked to … are in favor of the synthetic turf and overwhelmingly in favor of crumb rubber because of the impact nature of playing on fields that are not like that.
“I’ve spoken to people who have played on walnut shell fields, and you do have absorbing pads beneath (them), but they’re not as soft-feeling, they’re not as natural feeling — or shock absorbent — as the rubber.”
Supervisor Curtis Horton agreed. He thanked staff for their work on the project and said there were players watching the meeting.
“Like Supervisor Giomi said, the majority of them are in favor of the encapsulated rubber,” Horton said. “I think after all of our research and looking at it, I am definitely opposed to crumb rubber that is not encapsulated.”
Supervisor Lisa Schuette said she’d struggled with artificial turf but found in the process it became “a question of finding that balance.” She mentioned the limited playing season for grass fields versus a longer season for artificial turf.
“I so appreciate this conversation because I think it’s worth noting that we all care deeply about the environment and our community and what’s the right thing to do,” she said.
Resident Deni French worried about potential allergies with walnut shells and thought coconut material and cork were the best options. He mentioned temperature, cushion capacity and weed proneness in considering materials.
“There is a multifactor situation here, and we’re not touching on it, and that is a shame,” he said. “And to suggest that, ‘Well, a lot of people like it, they prefer it,’ and it might cost less, I don’t think our environment should be put to those easy considerations. We have to go deeper (for) the health of our children, and of our critters, and the habitat itself.”
Encapsulated rubber is cheaper than natural infill, according to the city. With available funding of $5.84 million ($5 million from a bond backed by room tax), the city estimated natural material at $6.64 million for construction versus just shy of $6 million for encapsulated rubber. The shortfall facing the city for the project was estimated to be $161,818 for encapsulated rubber and $803,398 for a natural infill, according to original presentation materials for the meeting.
Updated materials shared Thursday (not available online before the Appeal’s deadline) showed an extra $1.12 million added to the construction estimates for alternative bid items including “landscaping, shade, ex. fence replace, batting cages, fence extension, dugout amenities, backstop refresh.”
Parks officials plan to ask for the deficit amount and alternative bid items for the project as part of a fiscal year 2026 capital project request, which will be reviewed by supervisors in May.
Estimated maintenance costs also are cheaper for encapsulated rubber: $950,000 for a 10-year period versus $1.1 million over the same period for natural infill. The city put the 20-year maintenance costs of the products (including full turf replacement at 17-20 years) at $4.7 million for natural and $4.4 million for encapsulated rubber.
The conversion also will save 8 million gallons of water a year currently used on the upper fields of Centennial, according to the city.
Visit Carson City has been a proponent of the project (pledging room tax for the bond issuance), hoping the conversion will draw more tournaments and thus people into hotels, shops and restaurants.
In a March 5 letter for the meeting, resident Michael Palazzolo said he’s been both a player and umpire “since the beginning of Centennial” and voiced support for the project.
“Any unforeseen escalating costs that may or may not occur are far outweighed by the economic impact this will bring to Carson City for decades into the future,” Palazzolo wrote.
In other action:
• As part of their regular agenda item on the Nevada Legislature, supervisors formally opposed Senate Bill 71 — unanimously — and suggested an amendment to Senate Bill 208, also unanimously.
According to the Legislative Counsel digest, SB 71 would require state and local government to post online purchasing information (supplies, materials, equipment and services needed) and how people can pursue contracts with the state and local governments.
The bill would also abolish the Regional Business Development Advisory Council for Clark County and create the Nevada Diverse Business Advisory Council. That council would recommend “policies, programs, and procedures in the area of purchasing by public agencies to encourage and promote the use of businesses primarily owned and operated by a person who is a member of a racial or ethnic minority, female or a veteran or has a physical disability , or who identifies as LGBTQ,” according to the digest.
Supervisor Maurice White called the bill ridiculous and racist.
“This is also far beyond just telling us we need a webpage informing the community what we intend to buy,” he said. “This is a bill that is incredibly racist in that it requires us to make efforts to sell to diverse business. And if you read the definition on diverse, that excludes white males.”
Giomi thought the bill would create extra work and argued that existing state law allows anyone to follow the bid process.
“Why spend the money to create a whole other state agency?” he said. “I don’t feel like we should support this, personally.”
Supervisors supported SB 208 “with the suggested amendment to remove the sunset provision on funding body-mounted and vehicle cameras,” according to the motion.
SB 208 would allow 911 surcharge fees to be used for construction or upgrade of facilities that have a 911 telephone system, among other measures in the bill. Supervisors liked the idea of upgrading facilities with 911 surcharge fees (specific to the emergency system) but didn’t like another section in the bill prohibiting use of the fees “for purposes of purchasing and maintaining portable event recording devices and vehicular event recording devices effective Oct. 1, 2029,” according to the bill’s digest.
Sheriff Ken Furlong said the CCSO body and vehicle camera system is funded by the 911 surcharge fees, as set in previous statute, and the department would have to consider the general fund to pay for cameras should that allowance change.
According to Carson City Government Affairs Liaison and Public Information Officer Cameron Gresh, “We currently spend $267,325 per year on these items with our contract ending in 2026.”
• Supervisors convened as the Board of Health, heard regular reports and wished the best for Carson City Health and Human Services Director Nicki Aaker, set to retire at the end of May.
Furlong said Aaker has done an outstanding job through unexpected and severe circumstances. Giomi said Aaker has been training staff and will leave CCHS in a better position than when she started.
Aaker has been in the position since 2013 and oversaw the quad-county department through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m so grateful for the staff that are at CCHHS,” Aaker said.