The Carson City Chamber Board of Directors has launched Dialogue 2013 to gain verbal community input on why people live, work and play in our city. What is the draw that keeps them here? What is the 20/20 vision for 2020 and how will we get there in these uncertain times?
These highly charged questions will begin the dialogue that could be the tipping point for future growth of Carson City with all regions of the city chiming in. There will be meetings of the business community, the children, senior citizens groups, the Latino community, church groups and others that make up the population now in our city. The plan is to bring professional facilitators into the community in which these populations live, work or play.
Carson City’s last visible tipping point was in 2000 when the population reached the 50,000 plus mark and the surrounding communities grew as well. Since Carson City is the hub of so many jobs, retailers saw fit to bring their big box stores here to the detriment of the downtown corridor. Housing developments sprang up to shelter new residents, and then the bubble burst in 2006 as the economy took a downward turn.
With the economy rebounding nationwide, Carson City now is well poised to grow and prosper with the right direction and citizen input. Once the housing market rebounds, there will be better inventory to attract young families who may now be attracted to the new home communities in Reno and Dayton.
Carson City has always had its challenges serving as the state’s capital. There are plenty of jobs, but no property taxes to relieve those citizens who make up about 18 percent of the contributors to the property tax fund portion of the general fund.
The Chamber’s Dialogue 2013 will give citizens of all ages and ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to speak their mind and could dovetail into the written survey that the city will be mailing to 4000 residents in the near future.
The community is invited to attend the first of the community dialogues at a luncheon to be held at the Silver Oak Executive Conference Center beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27th. $15 advance with advance reservations, $20 at the door. Must RSVP prior to March 25th to (775) 882-1565.
— Ronni Hannaman is the executive director of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.