City still needs ballot draft volunteers

Only five Carson City residents have applied so far to draft ballot language for and against a city proposal to sell and commercially develop the city's fairgrounds.

Applications to serve on either side of the ballot drafting issues are due Monday by 5 p.m., Clerk Recorder Alan Glover said.

"At one point I was a little nervous, thinking we would get 100 people," Glover said. "We thought we would have more people because the issue has been in the news so much. We do need to find some people."

Volunteers will be asked in a series of public meetings to draft 400-word arguments and 200-word rebuttals to the following question:

"While retaining and improving the area known as Fuji Park, should Carson City make available for commercial development City property known as the Carson City Fairgrounds?"

The question will appear on the November ballot.

Supervisors will appoint up to six committee members, three on each side, April 4, and committee members will have until May 3 to submit their arguments to Glover.

Charles Kuhn and Jeanne Yapple have applied to draft language against selling the fairgrounds, and Jack Andersen, John Wagner and Karl Neathammer have applied to draft language for the proposal.

The fairgrounds, 20 acres of city land off Old Clear Creek Road sandwiched between commercial development to the north and south, has been the center of controversy since the city decided in 1999 to sell 18 acres of vacant Fuji Park property to Costco.

While neighboring Fuji Park was protected from development, city leaders offered the fairgrounds parcel last year to Wal-Mart in a bid to keep the retail giant in the capital. A 3,400 signature petition against selling the property convinced city supervisors to ask for an advisory vote on the issue before taking further action.

INFORMATION

For information on serving on a Carson City ballot question committee, call the Elections Office at 887-2082. Pick up applications at 851 E. Musser St.