Mike Mitchell could leave school district

After 12 years with the Carson City School District, Mike Mitchell is thinking about leaving.

The director of operations is one of eight candidates to be interviewed Saturday for the position of Carson City manager.

"There's not anything I don't like about my job," he said. "But there's always something about change that's appealing."

His decision comes in the middle of building an addition to Bordewich-Bray Elementary School as part of the bond passed in November. He is also overseeing a committee to update the district's master plan dealing with alternatives to accommodate school growth.

"I really hate to leave something in the middle like that," he said. "But what I've learned in this job is that there's never an end. Even before you've finished one project, there's another one."

And he said he's confident the district will continue succeeding even if he's absent.

"I'm not naive enough to think I'm the only guy who can do this job," he said. "There's a lot of people who would pick it up and do just fine."

Before coming to the school district, Mitchell ran his own architectural business for 12 years in Reno.

When he tired of managing all the aspects of a business, he decided to venture into the public sector.

"It was a big gamble for me, but it turned out to be a great match," he said. "As I got into it, I realized I enjoyed working with educators and the general public. Plus, I still get to build things."

Mitchell came into the school district after a 1990 bond passed and oversaw construction of Mark Twain and Fremont elementary schools and the remodeling of Carson High and Carson Middle schools.

But the some of the projects went over budget and took too long.

Subsequently, public opinion turned negative and a bond attempt in 1996 failed.

However, two school bonds have since passed in as many years.

"It's been a great experience to be a part of that evolution from the early '90s when there was skepticism of the school district's ability to operate in an efficient manner to now," he said. "I think that's turned around and taxpayers appreciate what we've been able to do with the money they've loaned to us. They seem to have more faith in us."

Mitchell, 58, lives with his wife, Joan, and son, Lane, 18, in Reno. He also has another son, Ryan, 30.