What issues facing the city of Fallon would you identify and then prioritize for the next four years?
Housing availability, both single-family and multi-family homes. The city has approved projects to move forward in my 3.5 years on the council, but due to the economy and the rising costs of construction, none of those projects have started. Hopefully, soon that will change, and we will see some construction starting. Healthcare and availability of doctors who will make Fallon a permanent home.
Street and road maintenance. The city has had current street projects completed, and there are others scheduled to begin next year to a year and a half from now. Rising costs of material to maintain streets is a concern because we cannot perform maintenance on as many streets that need repair. We are constantly evaluating and prioritizing to make sure that we get the most done with the money that we have available.
I would prioritize these in that order: housing, healthcare, and road/street maintenance.
The relationship between the city and Western Nevada College has strengthened during the past five years. How involved do you want to see the city in its relationship with the local campus for the next five years?
To the best of my knowledge, the city has always had a good relationship with Western Nevada College. The city fought to maintain this campus when others were looking at closing it.
The city needs to help support WNC in classes and programs that are going to benefit the community as well as the students. Resources that are coming back for the nursing program will benefit our healthcare issues. Providing Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that our local industry desires will allow for future growth and employee enhancement.
What are some issues or programs you see that can further enhance or expand the quality of life in our city?
I take pride in the culture of community in the city. Neighbors helping neighbors and people stepping up no matter what the event. There are programs for the seniors and the youth supported by the city to try and make sure no one falls through the cracks. I support growth, but not at the expense of the quality of life for our citizens.
How do you envision the relationship between the city and Churchill County for the next four years?
The city and county have a good relationship. Councilmembers and commissioners sit on many of the same boards for our community. This allows us to better engage so that we can work through any issues. County Manager Chris Spross has been very approachable, and we have been able to come to common ground on different projects.
The city is seeing an increase in its population. Should the city plan for planned growth or full-speed ahead?
The city has always encouraged growth, but in a smart manner. We have planned infrastructure growth for 20-30 years ahead, and I support that philosophy.
How do you see the roles of the Churchill Fallon Economic Development and the Churchill Entrepreneurial Development Association in attracting new businesses, serving current businesses and training an expanding workforce?
Churchill Fallon Economic Development (CFED) and Churchill Entrepreneurial Development Association (CEDA) are two different organizations with different missions. CFED is partially funded by the city and county along with grants from Nevada’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). CFED’s role is to bring business and industry to fill city and county economic growth needs.
CEDA is funded by the city and the county, the CEDA Business Council along with some support from UNR. Their role is supporting small businesses and training small business owners to be successful and are key elements in keeping businesses operating and successful.
Fallon’s downtown area is seeing a gradual revitalization. How the city work with other agencies to continue this progress?
The city has been working on downtown revitalization for years. We have a good working relationship with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) that has enabled us to apply for and receive grants in the past that allowed us to complete work on both Maine Street and North Maine.
The city has been successful receiving Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). CDBG grants are federal money that is administered by the state. We continue to apply for those grants because without that money it would be difficult for the city to afford the projects that our citizens desire and need.
Another concern this election cycle is one discussed before. How does the city continue its strong relationship with Banner Churchill Hospital and the Central Nevada Health District, and what can the city do to attract physicians to the area?
The city does have a strong relationship with Banner Churchill Hospital (BCH) and the Central Nevada Health District (CNHD). In fact, the mayor sits on the board at Banner and chairs the board for CNHD. This gives the city a strong voice for both entities.
Attracting physicians to rural Nevada is not unique to just Fallon. Other rural communities are struggling with the same need. We are working on attracting physicians to our area by teaming with UNR’s School of Medicine and BCH when doctors begin their residency, they do it here in Fallon. Our hope is that if we can prove to these doctors what a wonderful place Fallon is, and with the quality of life we have, that they will put down roots and call Fallon home.
The military is one of the largest employers in the county. What kind of relationship should the city have with Naval Air Station Fallon and the Nevada Army National Guard’s armory, one of the last rural armories in the state?
The city needs to maintain our relationship with both NAS Fallon and the National Guard. Fallon is a military town, and we are proud of that. We need to support housing needs and local businesses so that all thrive in our entire community.
The Nevada Army National Guard has closed many armories in other rural towns. The Guard is an asset to this community, and the city will continue to support their needs locally. Fallon’s annual 911 ceremony has had base commanders from NAS Fallon and adjutant generals from the National Guard give remarks at the ceremony. Events like this help foster those relationships and prove what a great military town we are.
What areas of city government would you improve or leave as status quo?
As stated earlier, quality of life is important to me. We need to continue and foster that lifestyle so our citizens continue to enjoy all the wonderful things we have as a city.
We have street reconstruction projects starting in the future. Auction Road is going to be refurbished to include curb and gutter, sidewalks, and bike lanes. This will enhance the area on both sides of the road, which will hopefully entice future business development and enhance the entrance to WNC. Kaiser Street is also scheduled to be reconstructed to help with the functionality of this area.
We do have aging sewer infrastructure, and we have identified the needs to be addressed first. We have been awarded a CDBG grant to have the Serpa lift station reconstructed. We just completed the first phase of the water tank replacement on Rattlesnake Hill.
The city is continuing to work with the FAA to upgrade and improve the airport. Completed street projects like Front, Court, Sherman, Broadway, Whitaker, and A streets and the upgrades that staff were able to complete during these projects will benefit all for years to come.
The city continues to invest in our parks. Laura Mills is currently getting upgrades that will benefit everyone. Oats Park and the surrounding area is a community meeting place for all, and we continue to have great community events.
I believe city staff have a feeling of what is happening and what is needed in the city, and I will continue to collaborate with them on all projects and issues.
Comment
Comments